Cruel Fates Entwined
by Luna Silvereyes
Summary: An enormous flaming fox crashes the Get Backers' first skirmish with Akabane. What's more surprising is that Akabane knows the woman controlling the fox. The answers to this mystery lie in the Jackal's shadowed past. But can the Get Backers solve it?
1. Enter Fire Fox

Cruel Fates Entwined

A/N: I'm obsessed with Get Backers right now, so this explains the stories. Anyhow, I hope this one works out. Note, for story purposes, Akabane might be a little OOC here and there, but I'll do my best to limit that. I'm starting with scenes from episode five, but all else was made up by me. I just wanted episode five to be where it started. I don't feel like transcribing their lines, so I'm making up dialogue to better suit my story.

Enter Fire Fox

Ginji Amano: the Lightning Emperor and former leader of the VOLTS of the Limitless Fortress. A fiery spirit combined with the white hot powers of electricity, Ginji was not someone to be messed with by just anyone.

Kuroudo Akabane, aka Dr. Jackal. The terror of the transport service world and nearly invincible, he pursued nothing but enjoyment from his various assignments, slicing his enemies into unrecognizable bits with a hundred and eight razor-sharp surgical knives stored neatly in his body.

Ginji Amano had chosen to fight Dr. Jackal while his partner, Ban chose to fight the other transporter, Himiko, aka Lady Poison. The location was an old temple a few miles away from Shinjuku. Everything was still as the opponents sized each other up, preparing for an all out war. Akabane drew his first set of knives, chuckling. "While I do enjoy fighting, I hope that you'll be somewhat of an interesting opponent."

Ginji snarled angrily. How could this guy be so cool about it? He'd just slaughtered seven interceptors not a half hour ago! He braced as Akabane took aim. Little did they realize the chaos that was about to ensue.

Before Dr. Jackal could launch his first attack, the ground beneath them began to shake slightly. Ginji looked down at the pebbles at his feet as they bounced with each vibration in the earth. "What the?" he muttered.

Behind him, Ginji heard the sound of something heavy fall over. He turned to see what appeared to be a woman lying on the ground, unconscious. Not considering the question of what she was doing in the shrine in the first place, he completely turned and cupped his hands over his mouth. "Hey! Are you okay over there?" he called.

Akabane just stared angrily around him. What was going on? Why was the earth shaking? Shaking as though something big was headed toward them...and in a hurry?"

He looked up, following Ginji's line of sight. He too saw the woman lying on the ground. But he also saw the orange glow coming off of her as well. Instantly, he gasped and shook his head.

"It-it can't be!" he exclaimed. He rushed forward as Ginji started over to help her and bodily shoved Ginji aside just as the gentle orange glow erupted upward and outward with a bellowing roar to the night sky. Ginji got to his feet, rubbing his head where he'd fallen. He stared in bewildered astonishment at Akabane who stood watching the fiery mass rise up and take shape before them.

"Hey!" Ginji yelled over the roar of the flames, "Why'd you push me out of the way?"

Dr. Jackal grinned. "It'd be a shame for anyone else to kill you." he answered. But when he turned back to the flaming creature rising up from the body of the unknown woman on the ground, Ginji saw his face turn grim.

Ginji shielded his face from the white hot blaze, watching in horror as the flames molded and took shape, forming an enormous creature of some sort. Four legs as thick as tree trunks lifted its mass off the ground and four long, flaming tails waved fiery trails back and forth in the air. The head, the size of Ban's Ladybug, rose up with a snarl of hot wind into the night air. Ginji backed up until he reached a post holding up the shrine path. Akabane held his ground, a look of disbelief on his face as he watched the giant fiery fox take shape before him. With a snap of cinders, its eyes opened, revealing bright red irises in a black eye. It bellowed out a hissing growl as it stared into the darkness of the other side of the shrine. Ginji could feel the movement still rocking the ground beneath him. Something was coming and he could somehow tell that all hell was about to break loose. But he kept his gaze on the woman at the fox's feet. He was scared as heck that the fox's fiery body would catch her and she'd burn to a crisp before he could do anything.

"Ginji!" came Ban's voice over the roar of the fox's flames. Ginji turned to see Ban hurrying toward him, Himiko hanging off a good distance away, just staring up at the fox. Ban shielded his face from the heat and came to a stop beside Ginji. "What the hell is that!?" he yelled.

"I don't know! It just appeared! There's a woman beneath it! I think she's unconscious! We have to get her out of there!"

"Don't bother." came the last voice they expected to hear. Akabane had moved back as well to escape the intense heat. He was holding his hat in place and watching the fox along with them. Ginji stared angrily. "Don't bother? What do you mean don't bother? That woman is going to burn to death!"

Akabane pulled the rim of his hat down. "She won't." he said. "This is her trump card."

"What?" Ginji exclaimed. But before he could ask Akabane what he meant, the Jackal suddenly leapt to the side out of the way as the fox's tails swept past them, igniting the shrine in flames. It was standing up fully. It raised its muzzle to the heavens and let out a horrible sound that was a cross between a howl and a moan, it seemed. It pierced their ears with a throbbing pain and Ban and Ginji took off in Akabane's path to avoid the flames licking their skin.

"Get Backers!" Akabane yelled. He'd gone to a secluded area in the corner of the courtyard, far from the flames of the shrine. Ban and Ginji looked at each other and then at the flaming fox.

"Any port in a storm!" Ginji exclaimed. Ban turned and glanced back at Himiko, but she was already running the other way. He didn't bother to worry about her; she was smart and would find a place to hide from the fox's wrath. Ban and Ginji stopped at the wall and turned, gasping to watch the fox. It was pawing the ground angrily, snarling and screaming at something on the other side of the wall.

"Tell me something," Ban said, panting and shielding his eyes as cinders took to the air around them, "Why are you helping us?"

"Because as much as I'd like to watch you two die, I'd rather it be by my hands. Besides, I know what this fox is capable of. We're safe so long as we avoid the four tails."

"How do you know all of this?" Ginji exclaimed. But Akabane stretched his arm in front of them. "Quiet!" he hissed. "It's beginning and believe you me, we don't want to be caught in the crossfire."

The wall in front of the fox exploded inward and the fox skipped backward, snarling. A gargantuan scaly creature slithered inside, hissing at the fox. It rose up on his reptilian legs, snapping at the fox's neck. The fox moved away from the spot, revealing the woman lying on the ground. Ginji drew a sharp breath.

"You were right!" he said to Akabane, "She's not burnt to a crisp!"

"I told you. But we should watch ourselves. If we get caught between these two behemoths, it's all over."

Ban studied the enormous scaly reptile that was terrorizing the fox. The long lashing tail and sharp knife-like teeth gnashed viciously at the fox as it screamed and snapped at it with matching force. It made lunges toward the woman on the ground, but was intercepted by the fox each time.

"A basilisk." Ban said.

"Huh?" Ginji said. "What's a basilisk?"

"It's a mythical creature, a frog's egg hatched by a rooster. It's deadly poisonous with a fatal glare."

"So, if it's mythical, what's it doing here?" Ginji asked irritably. The basilisk slammed its head into the fox, sending it flying at the shrine. It crashed into it, reducing it to flaming tinder. The flames roared to life and reached to the sky, illuminating the entire area. The fox stumbled to it feet, feigned a lunge to the right and snapped back to the left, sinking its jaws into the back of the serpent.

"I don't know," Ban replied to Ginji.

"It's very simple; someone is controlling it." Akabane said. "Its master must be around-"

But he never finished his sentence. He suddenly stopped, glanced back toward where the woman lay on the ground and gasped slightly. Ban and Ginji followed his gaze to see a man in a thick black cloak, rushing toward the woman with an ax in his hands. With a cry of triumph, he raised it up, preparing to swing it down on her neck.

"No!" Ban and Ginji yelled. There was a tremendous rush of wind beside them and Akabane vanished, reappearing in front of the woman and dismembering the wooden body of the ax in the time it took to blink. Ban and Ginji were frozen in shock at Akabane's actions. Was he actually defending that woman?

The fox suddenly slammed the serpent down on its side, burrowing its enormous jaws into the creature's soft belly and ripping it open with one lash of its powerful neck. The creature hissed in agony, struggling to right itself. The fox determined that it was no longer a threat and paused, panting.

"Out of my way!" the unknown cloaked man cried. Akabane didn't move, but brought forth three scalpels, slicing viciously at the man and driving him back. The man took a few seconds to realize his arm had been severed and lay twitching on the ground in front of him. He screamed in horror and fell back, waving his stump wildly. Akabane hummed and flicked the blood from his knife. "How odd. I don't usually miss. I suggest you salvage your good fortune and leave now before I get angry." he said ominously.

"Finish my work!" the man bellowed to the sky. Akabane frowned and turned in time to see the great head of the serpent rise up, hissing. He found he was unable to look away, but calmed when he saw that the fox had crushed part of the serpent's head, rendering its paralyzing stare useless. But he was still in trouble; he knew his scalpels couldn't pierce its thick armor, but he also knew that he wasn't going to leave her behind. The only thing keeping this devil alive was its master's command.

The fox suddenly leapt up into the air, crashing down behind Akabane and moving so that he stood underneath it. He looked up, holding his hat in place as the fox snarled at the creature. The basilisk opened its jaws to snatch Akabane out from underneath the fox, but the fox intercepted its maneuver and grabbed its armored neck in its jaws. The fox pinned the struggling creature down with one massive front paw, searing its open wound with flames. The basilisk screamed in agony as the fox bit deep into its neck, shaking it back and forth and tearing at the inner muscles until finally, with one last mighty tug, it yanked its head up and took the creature's head along with it. With a snarl of disgust, it hurled the head clear across the courtyard, barely missing Ban and Ginji. It shoved the body aside into the flaming shrine. Then, it stepped away from Akabane and the woman's body.

"Crap, it's gonna eat him!" Ban yelled as the fox lowered its head to peer down at Akabane.

"Well, we can't just let him get eaten!" Ginji protested. "Come on!"

"Wait," Ban said all of a sudden. "Look at that. He's talking to it!"

It was true; Akabane's mouth was moving, like he was telling the fox something. But the fox growled low in its belly and turned away. It sniffed the body of the woman, as though checking it for damage. Then, with a heavy sigh, it lay down beside her and rested its great head on its paws. As they watched, the fox's fiery form began to dissolve, the flames licking the woman's body, but not burning it. In fact, she seemed to be absorbing it. Ban and Ginji approached slowly, staring in cautious awe as the fox's flame disappeared into her body. To further their shock, Akabane knelt down and gently shook her awake. She moaned and her eyes opened slightly. She sat up and sighed.

"She's okay!" Ginji exclaimed.

"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" she mumbled. In the light of the fire, they were able to get a better look at her. Her hair was long, reaching down to her hips, at least. In the firelight, it seemed to be black, but took on an auburn hue in the light. Her eyes were brilliant emerald green and to Ginji, they appeared sad. She rubbed her head and sighed. Then she noticed Akabane. Her face instantly showed first surprise and then somberness. She stood up and moved away from them. She looked at the burning shrine and sighed. "Overdid it again." she muttered.

"What's that mean?" Ban asked. "There was a giant flaming fox rampaging through here just a few minutes ago. Then it disappeared; like it went into your body."

"Yeah, I should hope it did." the woman said. She looked only about nineteen or twenty, but the way she carried herself and spoke, Ban suspected she was probably older than that.

"What's that mean?" Ginji asked suspiciously.

"That fox was me, of course." she replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take care of something quickly."

She pushed past them and approached the cloaked man trying to crawl away through the hole in the wall. As she approached, his eyes widened considerably and he screamed, backing up against the crumbled stone. "No! No, stay away from me!" he yelled.

The woman raised her hand and clenched it tightly. When she opened it again, there was blood spreading through an open wound in her palm. She clenched her fist and three long, blood red needle-like rods shot out between her fingers. Ginji gasped and whirled to stare in shock at Akabane to get his reaction to this similar ability. He didn't move a muscle. Instead, he seemed like he wasn't all there. He just watched as the woman approached the cloaked man, raising the rods up threateningly. The man screamed in fear as she slashed down at him viciously, effectively slicing him nearly in two vertically.

Ban stared in horror and Ginji covered his mouth. As they watched, her hand fell to her side and the rods had disappeared. All that remained was her dark blood dripping through her fingers. She turned around again and slowly made her way over. The light from the fire gave her an eerie sense of surrealism, almost like a wraith. She stopped a few feet away from Akabane.

"It's been awhile, Kuroudo." she muttered.

A/N: I'm taking a break on Of Promises and Perseverance. While that's being done, enjoy my first Get Backers story. I hope it works.


	2. Mysterious Stranger

A/N: Two in one day! I love this story!! I hope people are actually reading it. Oh, and I'm currently reading the manga, but I can't be entirely sure if the info I want is in there specifically, unless anyone can help me. Oh, and Cauryn, you'd better read it this time!!!

Mysterious Stranger

"It's been awhile, Kuroudo." she muttered. Akabane nodded. "It certainly has. Going on five years, now." he said.

"Yes. And even without the pressures of the passed time, I can still see that you're the same cold-blooded killer you were then."

Ginji and Ban followed their conversation until Ban finally threw his hands up. "Do you mind telling me what's going on here!? What happened to the fox, who are you, why did you just slaughter that guy, why can you do what Akabane does and how does this all fit together!?" he yelled, gasping. The woman stared at him through his rant, only speaking once he'd finished.

"Are you quite done? Good. Well, I'll be going, then."

She turned and the second they blinked, she was gone, vanished into thin air. Ban just stared at where she'd been standing and yelled in frustration. "Why didn't she answer any of my questions!?"

Ginji glanced over at Akabane, gazing up into the sky with a strangely solemn look on his face. "Hey, Mr. Akabane," Ginji said cautiously. "Did you know her?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do know her."

"Was she the one who summoned that fox?"

"She didn't summon the fox, my dear Ginji Amano, she _was_ the fox."

Ginji's eyes went wide and he gasped, "So is that what you meant when you said that's her trump card?"

"Correct."

"So who is she?" Ginji asked. Akabane just pulled the rim of his hat down and sighed. "I do believe I'm feeling the effects of passing time." he mumbled.

"Huh?"

Akabane smiled wryly. "I actually don't feel like fighting right now. How about we take a rain check on it, hm?"

And with that, he wandered toward the gate, disappearing in the gloom of smoke from the smoldering shrine. Ban and Ginji watched him go, not noticing as Himiko picked her way through the rubble and came to stand beside them. "What happened? Where's he going?" she asked.

"He said he doesn't feel like fighting." Ginji said. Himiko's jaw dropped. She grabbed Ginji by the arm, her eyes wild. "He actually said that!?"

"What's the big deal?" Ginji asked. "He doesn't feel like fighting. I don't either."

"No, you don't get it. Kuroudo Akabane _lives_ to fight his enemies! It's the sole purpose he became a transporter!"

Ginji paled and whirled to Ban. "So now what?"

"First things first," Ban said, staring off in the direction Akabane had gone. "We find out who that woman was. If she was really that fox that obliterated this place, she might be dangerous. We need to be prepared if we ever run into her again. Plus, she had a similar ability to Akabane's, so we'll need to figure out what's up with that."

"I could do that," Himiko said, "I could tap into my sources and get more info."

"Really? Thanks, Himiko." Ban said. She frowned. "I'm not doing it for you, Ban, I'm doing it so I can find out what the heck just happened to Jackal. This isn't like him."

"From the sounds of it, they knew or know each other." Ginji said. "Plus, Akabane seemed to know quite a bit about her before she even revealed herself. He knew how to avoid her in the fox form. He wasn't afraid of her either."

"Don't forget; she protected him from that thing that guy summoned. I'll bet it was an illusion of some kind, but it was real enough for me. In any case, I think, from the looks of your truck over there, Himiko, it's safe to say this job is canceled."

Himiko whirled to look at the truck. Maguruma, the driver, was stumbling around in front of it as it burned to the ground, the contents destroyed. Himiko sighed in defeat. "Damn it. Now what?"

"Now, we explain to our clients what happened and hope they believe us."

//ooo//

Ban and Ginji sat in a booth at the Honky Tonk with their heads in their arms on the table, moaning. Their client hadn't taken the news well and refused to pay them even the initial deposit. They were flat broke once again. They'd tried to explain about the giant fire fox, but their client had only gotten madder, saying if they were going to fail a job, they may as well tell the truth and hope for mercy.

"I'm so hungry." Ginji whined.

"Me too, but thinking about it is just gonna make it worse. Man, I hate that fox-lady."

"Yeah, me too. She sure was pretty, though. You know, I wonder how she and Akabane knew each other."

Ban pulled his cell phone out and slid it across the table. "I've been waiting for a call from Himiko, but nothing so far. At this point, we're stuck because no one can back up our story except for Akabane and like hell he'd stand up for us."

"We could try." Ginji suggested.

"No way." Ban growled. Ginji sighed. "It was just a suggestion."

The door's bells jingled, announcing a customer. Natsumi looked up and smiled. "Welcome to the Honky Tonk." she said. "Table for one?"

Ban and Ginji looked up and they both yelled simultaneously.

"It's her!"

The woman from the night before had come inside and allowed Natsumi to show her to a table.

"May I get you anything?" Natsumi asked.

"Yes, actually. I'd like some iced tea, please." the woman said quietly. In the bright of day, she looked even more like a spirit than before. She was pale as chalk, but didn't necessarily look unhealthy. It may have been her natural skin tone. In the daylight, her hair was pure black with no sign of the auburn tint it had had before and incredibly long; an inch or so past her hips. She wore a long sleeved white sweater and a long brown skirt. She also wore a white thin ribbon tied around her neck. She wasn't a particularly beautiful woman, but she carried an aura of inner beauty. She also didn't wear makeup which somehow made her seem even younger looking.

Natsumi brought her tea over and set it on the table. "Will that be all?"

"Yes, thank you. I'm meeting someone here." the woman answered. Her voice was mellow, but melodically smooth. It wasn't too high or too low, but a comfortable in between. She stirred a packet of sweetener into her tea and took a sip. Ban and Ginji stared at her from across the room and Paul noticed.

"Guys, quit ogling the customers." he muttered. The woman glanced up at Ban and Ginji, who both squeaked and returned to their previous positions of staring hard at the wood finishing. The woman smiled and chuckled.

Ban blinked and cast occasional glances at her.

"Hey, Ginji," he hissed.

"Yeah?"

"I don't know about you, but she's kinda weirding me out."

"I know what you mean. I keep thinking about that similar move she used, the one like Akabane has. You know, where she summons knives out of her body."

Ban nodded and frowned as the woman gazed out the window, lost in thought.

"Yeah. Maybe she's a relative or something."

Natsumi wandered over and sighed. "Not such a busy morning, huh?" she said. "So, I heard you guys had a rough night."

"Yeah, you can say that again." Ginji grumbled. "We didn't get paid and we'll be lucky if that shrine owner doesn't track us down and sue us for burning the thing to the ground."

"You burnt down a shrine?" Natsumi exclaimed. "You know that's bad luck, right?"

"We know, we know. Like our luck couldn't get any worse." Ban snapped.

"How did you burn down a shrine?" Natsumi asked.

"_We_ didn't. That giant flaming fox did." Ban grumbled. "Akabane saw it and so did Himiko. But no one believes us so we can't prove it."

"That's tough luck boys, but that's also life." Paul called over to them as he dried some glasses. Ban sighed and looked over at that odd woman again. She had a small stack of photos out and was flipping through them. Her glass of tea was almost empty already so Natsumi went over there, ignoring Ban's irritated glances.

"Can I get you a refill?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh yes, but this time just water." the woman said, putting the pictures down beside her. Natsumi tilted her head. "What were you looking at?" she asked.

"Oh, just some pictures of my little ones." the woman replied with a smile. Natsumi smiled back. "Oh, your kids?"

"Oh no, not at all. I'm actually single. No, my little ones are my cats, Miki and Yuki. They're Maine Coons, but they act like children, so I call them my little ones."

"May I see?" Natsumi asked. The woman chuckled. "Absolutely. Here." she said, handing her the pictures. Natsumi leafed through them, cooing at the adorable things the cats were doing.

"They're gorgeous. You said they're Maine Coons? What is that, exactly?"

"They're the second most popular cat breed, just behind Persians," the woman explained. "No one knows their true origins, but it's believed the vikings brought them to America from their homelands and from there, they spread around the world. People originally believed that domestic cats were mixing with wild racoons, a biologically impossible feat. Maine Coons aren't like ordinary cats, though."

"Really? How are they different?" Natsumi asked.

"They love water, for instance. Every guide book warns you to shut and lock your door when you take a bath or a shower; they'll jump right in with you. But the biggest difference is how big they can get. Miki weighs fifteen and a quarter pounds and Yuki weighed in last week at twenty-one pounds on the dot."

"That's incredible! But isn't that unhealthy?" Natsumi said. The woman shook her head. "No, that's natural. Miki and Yuki are brother and sister, so naturally Yuki's bigger than Miki is. They're extremely muscular cats. But they're so friendly and have different personalities."

"They sound so cute." Natsumi said as the front door opened again. She turned. "Oh, good afternoon, Miss. Hevn." she called. Hevn smiled and made her way inside, glaring at the Get Backers. "Afternoon, Natsumi," she said sweetly. "All right boys, what's this I hear about the two of you burning down a shrine last night?"

"I keep telling people, it wasn't us!" Ginji whined.

"Don't give me that. The priest on duty last night said a bunch of people were fighting in the courtyard. He says he left to go call the police and when he came back, his shrine was burning to the ground."

"But he must have seen the flaming fox!" Ban exclaimed. Hevn raised an eyebrow. "Hey Paul, get these boys some sandwiches on me. They're hallucinating from hunger."

Ban jumped up and slammed his fist down on the table. "We're hungry, but we're not hallucinating! A giant flaming fox fought this giant lizard being controlled by a guy in a black cloak! The fox kills the lizard and then disappears and then, well, ask her!" he yelled, pointing to the woman across the room. She looked up and smiled. "Ask me what?" she said.

"You were the fox, weren't you?" Ginji said hopefully. "Please tell me I'm right and didn't just dream it!"

Hevn smacked them both over the heads. "You dorks! How dare you go and blame your mistakes on some woman sitting in the restaurant!?"

"Um," the woman muttered. Hevn glanced up as she got out of her seat and slowly made her way over. "Actually, Miss. Hevn, they're telling the truth."

Hevn's eyes widened. "What?"

"That fiery fox was my ultimate ability. In fact, that's my nickname in the assassination world. The Fire Fox."

"Assassination world?" Ban and Ginji both exclaimed. "Then that means that you-"

"Own and operate my own assassination service." the woman said with a bow. Ban and Ginji's jaws dropped and Hevn folded her arms with a sigh. "Well, had I known that _you_ were the fox they were talking about, I wouldn't have clobbered them-much." she said. "I suppose you're Ms. Miyazaki?"

"Yes, I am." the woman said, shaking Hevn's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. I'm glad to see you could make it. These two bubble-brains over here are the famous Get Backers, Ban Midou and Ginji Amano."

Ms. Miyazaki's eyes widened a fraction at Ginji's name. "Ah, the famous Lightning Emperor. I've heard a lot about you." she said. "But I expected you to look much tougher than this."

Ginji plunked his head down on the table. Hevn shook her head and turned to Ms. Miyazaki. "I assume you received my fax?"

"Yes. A double-header for tonight at six-thirty sharp at the theater. I read through it this morning. Targets are Masato Tachibana and Naruyuki Inoue, wanted assassinated, but made to look like a heart attack and or stroke."

"Exactly. My client has put a lot of faith in your shooting abilities."

"Oh, I don't use guns," Ms. Miyazaki said. "Not during secret affairs like this. I use my special secret weapon."

"And what would that be?" Hevn asked.

"It's a secret." Ms. Miyazaki said tauntingly. "I'd better go get prepared. It's a showing of _Macbeth_ tonight, so I'd better go all out."

"Are you going to need an escort?" Hevn suggested.  
"Let me see what conditions for the job will be like and I'll let you know. Well, I'd better be off, then. I'll see you soon, Get Backers." she said, heading out the door.

"She was nice." Natsumi said. "But she seemed awfully sad about something."

"Hey, Hevn," Ban said suspiciously. "Don't tell me she's one of your regulars."

"She's fairly new to Shinjuku. Up until now, I'd only ever spoken to her on the phone. But the rumor is that her destructive abilities rival those of Kuroudo Akabane."

"_What!?"_ Ban exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

"I agree," Ginji said, "I find it extremely hard to believe that a pretty, sweet lady like that is capable of what that monster Dr. Jackal does."

"The prettier and sweeter she is, the less she'll be suspected as an assassin." Hevn said. "I don't know very much about her, but I do know that her grandmother died six years ago and she lives alone in her old condominium on the outskirts of town. Most of the info about her is nothing but a pack of rumors, but the juiciest one is that she was once a resident of the upper floors of the Limitless Fortress."

"Babylon City?" Ginji gasped. "Ms. Miyazaki? A resident of Babylon City?"

"That's the rumor. From her resume, she's certainly qualified to have been at one point. She's a quick and efficient killer."

"The polar opposite of Akabane." Ginji mumbled, remembering Jackal's slaughter of the interception service the night before.

"Oh," Ban said, "Hey, that's right. Do you know if she actually knows Akabane?"

"Not sure. Why?" Hevn asked.

"Last night after she returned to human form, she addressed Akabane by his first name as though she'd known him for a long time."

Hevn frowned. "Really? That's interesting. I'll look into it for you and see what I get." she said.

"Thanks. Himiko's working on it too, but only because Jackal freaked her out last night."

Hevn raised an eyebrow. "Himiko's hard to scare. What'd he do?"

"He said he didn't feel like fighting."

Hevn's jaw dropped this time and she stared, dumbfounded. "Woah. I wonder if he's sick or something?" she muttered.

"Who knows? But Ms. Miyazaki can do similar stuff as Akabane and we're wondering if maybe they're relatives or something."

Hevn frowned. "I'll check some of my sources. This is worrisome. Paul, you up for helping me?"

"I've been on it for a few minutes now," Paul said, typing away on his laptop. "And I've got a lead on Ms. Miyazaki, anyway."

"Lets' hear it."

"Her full name is Kannaya Miyazaki, originally from Hokkaido. According to this publicly posted blog about her, she was pursuing a career in art when she suddenly quit in the middle of her sophomore year at Tokyo University and became an underworld assassin for hire."

"Does it say why she quit?"

"No reasons were given." Paul said.

"Hm," Hevn murmured, tapping her chin. "All right, pull her up in the Japanese list of accounted for assassins."

Everyone waited with baited breath. Paul scanned the screen, searching for anything that could be of any use. Finally, he hummed.

"Well?" Hevn asked.

"It isn't much better. I've got an old photo of her and it tells her current age and blood type. Not much for bio, though."

"Tell us anyway."

"Lets' see...parents killed in a terrorist attack fifteen years before...no surviving family members, current residence, Shinjuku, blood type A, preferred weapon of choice...huh?"

"What?" Hevn probed. Paul raised an eyebrow. "It says info unavailable. I guess she never filed a preference. Okay, here's the last bit. She's twenty-seven years of age and her nickname is just like she said, The Fire Fox."

"Twenty-seven? She looks way younger than that." Ginji said. Hevn sighed. "Okay, now pull up hers and Akabane's names together and lets' see what we get."

Paul typed furiously, growing just as curious as the rest of them. But finally, after ten minutes of searching, he sat back and sighed. "Nothing." he said. "I only get info on one or the other and it isn't much."

Hevn hummed. "Okay, we'll have to try a different route. We'll keep searching and let you know what we find, boys." Hevn said. "I'll be going now. I'll be back at around nine to check up with Ms. Miyazaki and-"

The phone in her pocket began to ring suddenly. She pulled it out. "Hello, this Hevn... Oh, wow, that was quick. So you need an escort after all? Right. I think I've got just the man. Okay, I'll have him meet you at the theater tonight. Okay, thanks. Bye now."

Hevn hung up and whirled to the Get Backers. "Which of you lucky gents wants to escort a lovely lady tonight?" she asked. Ban and Ginji stared at her in disbelief. Hevn sighed irritably. "Listen you bean-brains, Ms. Miyazaki called the client and asked him if an escort would help her blend in. He recommended she take an escort because you don't usually see single women attending theater, especially in a private box. One of you has to go with her tonight and if she needs any assistance, help her with the kill. Understand?"

"No way!" Ginji exclaimed. "Look, given the choice between Ms. Miyazaki and Akabane, I'd take her any day, but she still creeps me out!"

"Yeah, and besides, we don't want to be part of an assassination!" Ban said.

"Look guys, this assassination has been approved by the county legislature. These two men are terrorists planning a bomb heist next Friday. This job is dangerous, so Ms. Miyazaki was immediately called in as the best assassin money can buy. It's in a public area filled with people and this makes it extremely tricky. You two are her best chance at pulling it off undetected."

Ban and Ginji exchanged wary glances. Hevn sighed. "If you refuse, I can always dress Natsumi up as a guy and send her along."

"Fine, I'll do it." Ginji said, standing up. "Blackmailer. You know Natsumi wouldn't turn it down."

"That's right," Natsumi called over, grinning. Ginji sighed and allowed Hevn to drag him away. "I'll see you later, Ban!" he called as they left.

"Okay, Ginji," Hevn said as she pulled him along, "First, we gotta get you the right outfit."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Dummy, you can't just wear jeans and a T-shirt to the theater. Ms. Miyazaki will likely be in a some kind of fancy ball gown or something. She'll explain the procedure to you when you get there and-oof!"

Hevn had been looking back at Ginji while she spoke and walked into someone, causing Ginji to run into her. Hevn stepped back and laughed sheepishly. "I'm so sorry, I totally wasn't watching where I was going," she said.

"It's quite all right. You two are in quite the hurry."

Ginji froze up and yelled, hiding behind Hevn. "A-A-Akabane!" he stammered. Akabane chuckled and looked up slightly from beneath his hat, smiling. "Where might you be headed on this fine day?"

"We're going to get Ginji all fixed up for an escort assignment tonight." Hevn answered. "One of my clients hired a new assassin in town to do the job and Ginji has volunteered to help."

"Really? And who might this assassin be?"

"It's been requested that I don't reveal the name, but the rumor is that this person's skills rival yours, Jackal."

Akabane chuckled. "How delightful. I look forward to meeting this assassin." he said. "Where is the job taking place?"

"It's at the theater. The targets are attending _Macbeth_."

Akabane nodded in approval. "A truly memorable performance, I must say. I try to make time to see it whenever it comes to the theater."

"You?" Ginji exclaimed in shock.

"Why of course, my dear Ginji. I pride myself in my appreciation for the fine arts. Unfortunately, I'll be tied up for the remainder of its performance. I do hope you enjoy it, though."

Ginji grinned nervously, "I hope so." he said. Hevn grabbed his arm. "Well, Dr. Jackal, if you'll excuse us, we've got to run and get a tux for this neanderthal here."

Akabane chuckled. "Go right ahead. Please enjoy the show, Ginji." Akabane said as Hevn dragged him away. But as they disappeared around the corner, Ginji protesting the entire time, Akabane frowned suspiciously.


	3. The Scottish Play and Murder

A/N: Here's the third chapter. I actually spend a lot of time doing research for the various themes of my stories. Right now, Ms. Miyazaki is ranking up there with Sonja in my favorite characters list. I'm not ready to retire just yet!!

The Scottish Play and Murder

Later, back at the Honky Tonk, Ginji sat with Hevn and Ban in one of the booths, scowling. Hevn elbowed him irritably. "Stop complaining; I had to pay for the suit rental you know." she snapped.

"I know, but this thing itches!" Ginji whined.

"Quit it." Ban said. "At the theater, you'll have to act like a sophisticated gentleman. If you're fidgeting too much, you'll only make the job more difficult."

"Aw how hard could it be?" Ginji mumbled. Hevn shot him a glare. "You'd better be glad Ms. Miyazaki wasn't here to hear you say that. Assassination is one of the most risky businesses out there! If these terrorists are armed, they could easily turn the tables on you guys."

Ginji froze up with a squeak and paled. Hevn sighed. "Stop worrying. I've told you already, her skills rival Dr. Jackal's. If the mission fails, she'll have you out of there and somewhere safe before you can blink."

Ban sighed and took a drag on his cigarette. "I'm starting to think maybe I should have volunteered to be the escort." he muttered.

"Maybe," Hevn said, "But it's too late now. I already had the suit rented to Ginji's size and you're smaller than he is. Or scrawnier."

"Watch it, Hevn." Ban snapped.

The doors jingled, signaling someone arriving. Natsumi looked up. "Welcome to the...woah," she said, trailing off mid sentence. Ban, Ginji, and Hevn turned. Ms. Miyazaki made her way inside wearing a dark blue gown with straps that tied up and around her neck, the ties forming an elegant transparent trail halfway down her back. Her long hair was done up in a perfect bun on her head with little wisps hanging free on either side of her face. She still wore no makeup, but she didn't need to. She wore attachable white bell sleeves beginning at her elbows and ending at her wrists. Paul whistled in surprise. "Wow, now that's what a sophisticated lady looks like," he said to Ginji and Ban. Ms. Miyazaki chuckled. "Thank you, but actually, I had this done by a professional friend of mine. I'm afraid I'm no good at making myself presentable like this." she admitted. "And I also couldn't risk going to a public place for it, either. I can't let anyone see me."

"You look amazing, Ms. Miyazaki," Natsumi complimented.

"Thank you. Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but I don't believe I ever caught your name."

"Natsumi Mizuki. Pleased to meet you, Ms. Miyazaki."

"Please, call me Kanna."

"Kanna?"

"It's short for Kannaya. Much easier to say. Now," she said to Ginji, "Are you ready to go?"

Ginji stood up, still fidgeting with his tie. "Yeah," he said. "I'm ready."

Ms. Miyazaki sighed and made her way over. "I really appreciate this. It's going to make the job so much easier."

She gently slapped his hand away from his tie and took his arm. "All right, lets' go." she said.

"Bye, Ms. Kanna!" Natsumi said.

"Take care. Be careful," Hevn warned.

"Don't fall asleep in there, Ginji!" Ban yelled.

Ginji just swallowed nervously as they left the Honky Tonk and started toward the theater, a few blocks away. Ms. Miyazaki walked calmly in stark contrast to Ginji who walked like the Tin Man before the oil can was discovered. She noticed and glanced at him strangely.

"Are you nervous to be going on an assassination mission or are you nervous to be in the presence of a lady?" she asked, partly serious and partly joking.

"A little of both." Ginji admitted. "I've been tense since this afternoon."

"Why is that?" Ms. Miyazaki asked.

"We ran into one of my least favorite people and he said he hoped I enjoyed the show. He really creeps me out."

"Who is he?" Ms. Miyazaki said, straightening one of her sleeves.

"It was Akabane, of course."

At the mention of his name, Ms. Miyazaki's hand froze and she lowered her arm, silent. Ginji looked over at her curiously. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. But as for your nervousness and your reasons, forget both. For one thing, you're with a professional who is very good at her work. For another thing, well, I'm a very sweet lady, so there's nothing to worry about."

She smiled. But then, her face turned grave. "Now listen, Ginji, I'm going to tell you the plan once and only once. When we get in there, act as cool as you can, okay?"

"Yeah,"

"I'll give you the tickets to give to the man at the entrance. Then, we'll head for the box."

"Yeah,"

"Are you actually getting all of this?" Ms Miyazaki asked. Ginji gulped and nodded furiously. She sighed. "I don't mean to scare you, Ginji, but this assignment is important. If even the slightest thing goes wrong, we could be endangering not only our lives, but the lives of everyone in the theater. Remember, these are bomb specialists. Okay?"

"Right, got it."

"Now, once we get to our box, we'll watch the play until the intermission. Then, on my signal, we stand up slowly and calmly. If everything goes as planned, Masato Tachibana should be sitting beside me. Naruyuki Inoue should be beside him. As I stand up, I'll take out Tachibana. You then apprehend Inoue and I'll kill him as quickly as I can. Leave them both sitting upright. From a distance, nothing will appear to be wrong with them. We leave quietly and calmly. Understand?"

"Right."

"Hevn told me you're rather excitable when it comes to killing. If you get in my way, you could be in trouble."

"I won't. I don't like killing of innocent people, Ms. Miyazaki. But while I don't like killing, these guys are bomb terrorists. I won't get in your way."

Ms. Miyazaki smiled. "Good boy. We'll get along just fine. But it's a dang good thing you're slightly taller than me. I'm a good deal your senior."

"Yeah, you're twenty-seven right?"

"How'd you know that?" she said, her face darkening. Ginji gulped and smiled sheepishly. "Uh, well, we went looking up your assassin's profile and-"

"Say no more. Hevn, right?"

"Yeah," Ginji muttered.

"Don't worry about it. I was expecting her to do something like this sooner or later. Come on, we need to hurry. We have to get there after Tachibana and Inoue. Please try not to slow me down."

In a flash, she'd disappeared and Ginji was left standing bereft and confused on the sidewalk. He glanced across the street and then back behind him, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Uh, Ms. Miyazaki?" he called back down the road.

"Yes?"

Ginji yelled and fell over backwards while whirling around rapidly. Ms. Miyazaki stared down at him and shook her head. "Sorry," she said, extending her hand to help him up, "That was partly my fault. Sometimes I forget how fast I am."

"Yeah, Hevn said you're at least twice as fast as Dr. Jackal." Ginji said. But Ms. Miyazaki fixed him with a cold hard stare. "Please don't mention that name to me while I'm on a job." she hissed. Ginji gulped and backed up slightly. "S-Sure, sorry." he said. They continued on to the theater without a word.

The man at the front door tipped his cap to them as they approached. "Evening, lady and gentleman." he said. "Tickets?"

Ms. Miyazaki slipped Ginji the tickets which he then handed to the man. He stamped them and opened the door, ushering them inside. Ms. Miyazaki smiled pleasantly at him and walked with Ginji through the door. Once they were inside, she frowned and glanced at him. "Okay, now be on the lookout for a stout, middle aged man with a long brown beard and thick black-framed glasses, and a taller, rounder man with a thinning hairline and crooked nose." she whispered.

"That's them?" Ginji whispered back.

"Yes. I went to a lot of trouble to memorize their appearances. We follow them to their box no matter what and take seats behind them. Depending on which box they choose will affect our entire strategy. I have a man stationed here tonight who will recommend the farthest box from the stage to further our advantage. But he can't do much so we need to be prepared, Ginji."

"Right," Ginji said, scanning the crowd. He scowled, inspecting every single person. Ms. Miyazaki jabbed him lightly with her elbow. "Don't make a show of it." she hissed. "Just glance casually around, act bored, do anything but stare. Don't use your vision, just assess the person quickly and look away. Don't let yourself be spoiled by your sight."

"Right," Ginji said. Ms. Miyazaki smiled sadly. "Ginji, I'm afraid you wouldn't last a day in the assassination service." she mumbled. Ginji smirked wryly. "That's probably a good thing." he said. His eyes widened and he gasped. "Ms. Miyazaki, there, by the stairs."

"Good, that's them all right. It looks like my man was successful. He's leading them to the back box. Everyone will be looking at the play and shouldn't notice us."

They waited until the two men had ascended the stairs. Ms. Miyazaki gave Ginji's arm a gentle tug and led him over to the usher standing by the steps. He tipped his cap and beneath it, Ginji saw his eyes narrow. Ms. Miyazaki nodded ever-so-conspicuously as she and her escort headed up the stairs toward the box.

"So uh," Ginji said, "Was that your man?"

"Please keep your voice down. And yes, he was. He'll be paid later if the job goes through."

"Um, so what's _Macbeth_ about, anyway?"

"You mean you don't know? It's Shakespeare's shortest work, often considered bad luck amongst actors and stage workers. To counteract the bad luck, they instead refer to _Macbeth_ as 'The Scottish Play'. Its first performance is believed to have been held in the famous Globe Theater in April of 1611. It follows the story of Macbeth, a knight serving under King Duncan of Scotland. Following the prophecy foretold by the famous three witches, he aspires to become king, himself. Thus begins his tragic tale of betrayal, bloodshed and tyranny."

She told all of this as they reached the box and took their seats behind their intended targets. Masato Tachibana turned back to them and smiled at her. "You seem quite knowledgeable, miss."

"I should be. I studied Shakespeare's many works for years at the University of Tokyo. The Scottish Play is one of my favorites." Ms. Miyazaki said, lying easily. Ginji could only stare at her in awe at smoothly she was able to transition her moods.

"It's a pleasure to have a fellow Shakespearean scholar sharing our box miss-"

"Miyazaki. Kannaya Miyazaki." Ms. Miyazaki said. Ginji panicked at first, wondering if she'd slipped and revealed her true name by mistake. But when she shot him a knowing glance, he understood what she was doing. She was so sure these men wouldn't make it out of this box alive that she didn't care if they were given false information.

"Uh, Ms-" Ginji started to say but she shot him a fierce warning glance. He swallowed. "Uh, Kannaya," he said clumsily, "I remember you, er saying that you studied art."

She narrowed her eyes in suspicion before smiling. "Yes. Art was my major, but Historical Literature was actually my minor."

"Hm," Ginji said. "Hey, if _Mac_-oh, sorry-The Scottish Play is so famous, why haven't I heard of it?"

"You have," Ms. Miyazaki said calmly. "Have you by chance heard the phrase, 'Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble'?"

"Yeah, I've heard that before."

"That is the primarily well-known chant of the three witches, known as the Weird Sisters. They predict the destinies of Banquo, Macbeth and Macduff, his rival. Shh, the play is starting."

Ginji looked out onto the stage as the play began with the sound of rolling thunder as the Weird Sisters entered. Though the dialect was difficult to understand, Ginji soon found himself entranced by the strange, melodic quality of Shakespeare's shortest tragedy. In fact, he became so engrossed and dying to know what happens next that he didn't notice intermission had been called and Ms. Miyazaki was nudging him urgently. He shook himself awake and glanced at her, at first dumbfounded but then remembering the mission. He gasped lightly and nodded. Her intense stare was calmed and she quietly got to her feet. He saw her clench her fist tightly, drawing blood with her nails. Then, when she clenched her fist again, a long, slender rod shot out between her fingers. Ginji watched in amazement at first, but quickly recovered himself. She nodded to Ginji who moved behind Inoue while she raised the rod up behind Tachibana. She deftly slid it straight up through the upper base of the neck directly below the bone and into his brain, killing him instantly. Ginji grabbed Inoue around the mouth and held him while Ms. Miyazaki approached for the final blow. She summoned one more rod and did the same to Inoue. His last gaze was that of horror as he stared into her cold eyes.

She sat them both as naturally as she could in their chairs, limply staring down at the stage. She glanced at Ginji. "We need to go right now." she said.

"Darn, I was really getting into that." he said as she grabbed his arm and dragged him down the stairs. She turned back slightly, "If we make it out of this, I'll buy you a ticket to come back and see it some other time." she said with a smile. Ginji smiled back and nodded.

"Sounds good," he said. They slowed their descent at the base of the stairs and composed themselves just in time. Ms. Miyazaki's man tipped his cap again. But this time, as they passed, he whispered, "Whistle-blower."

Ms. Miyazaki drew a sharp breath and clenched her hand tightly around Ginji's arm. Her pace quickened ever so slightly as they made their way to the door. Ginji frowned and looked from her to the man and back again. "Hey, what was that about?"

"Shut up and walk, Ginji, or you're a dead man." she hissed. "I've been ratted out."

Ginji's eyes widened in fear as she dragged him outside and started down the street without even looking at the man at the door. Once they were out of sight of the door, she broke into a run with Ginji behind her. Puffing, Ginji kept glancing back at the theater, just waiting for someone to come out and yell for them to stop.

"In here!" Ms. Miyazaki said, yanking him into an alley. Here, she dug through a pile of trash and came up with a clothing box. Without hesitating, she undid the ties of her dress and slipped it off. Ginji immediately looked away, embarrassed, but she didn't seem to care as she threw on a black sweater with blue jeans and tennis shoes, tossing the dress into the dumpster beside them. Once he was sure she was decent, Ginji just stared in amazement. "But that dress was so pretty," he protested.

"When you live my kind of life, boy, you tend not to get attached to articles. Get that jacket off; you'll run more easily without it." she said as she pulled a thin white ribbon from her pocket and tied it around her neck. She pulled the tie holding her hair back out, allowing it to flow free.

"Run?" he exclaimed as he tore off the jacket and handed it to her. She threw it into the dumpster, grabbed his hand and ran just as shouts rang out from the theater.

"We need to make it back to the Honky Tonk," she explained, "There's a rat in the organization! They leaked my mission to Tachibana and Inoue's contacts!"

"Your man told you that?" Ginji gasped, struggling to keep pace.

"Yes,"

"But won't he be in danger too?"

"He's a master of the art of Karate and he carries a small firearm just in case the Karate doesn't work." Ms. Miyazaki told him. She glanced behind them and growled as two men in black spotted them from the other end of the alley. She looked at Ginji and sighed irritably, wrapping her arm around his waist. Ginji yelled as she suddenly leapt into the air, slowly rising higher and higher. At the same time, Ginji felt a strange warm heat radiating at him from behind. He chanced a look back and yelled in shock.

"You-you-you've got wings, Ms. Miyazaki!" he exclaimed.

"Another of my abilities, Wings of Flame! But they only last a short while depending on my amount of energy, so we need just enough to make it back to the cafe,"

Ginji grinned and stared off into the horizon as the ground disappeared beneath them. Then he looked down.

"AAAGH!" he screamed, grabbing hold of her arm and refusing to let go. "We're too high up!"

"We're only three hundred feet off the ground. Don't be such a wimp," she snapped. "Look, we're almost there. Just don't look down."

But Ginji had just looked down and shrieked again, clutching her arm tighter. She sighed. "Well, I told you not to look down."

Ms. Miyazaki landed smoothly on the sidewalk outside the Honky Tonk. It was past closing time, but Natsumi, Hevn, Paul, and Ban were all waiting for them. When she came inside dragging Ginji behind her, Ban jumped up in shock.

"Hey, is he okay?"

"He's fine, he just had a run in with my other ability." Ms. Miyazaki said wryly. "Someone ratted me out so we had to fly out of there. I don't think this boy was born to fly."

She handed Ginji off to Ban who sat him down in one of the booths. Ginji babbled nonsense to himself and his tongue lolled out.

"So," Hevn said, turning from Ginji, "How'd the mission go otherwise?"

"Great. But I don't think I should work for a little while, providing I get paid." Ms. Miyazaki told her. She yawned. "Well, I think I'll be heading back home. Miki and Yuki are going to want their dinners. See you later everyone." she said. She left the cafe and disappeared down the street. Ban shook his head and turned to Ginji, who was just beginning to recover. He sat up and sighed heavily. "Man, she scares me almost as much as Akabane does," he whined.

"You know what occurred to me?" Ban muttered. "He volunteered on a particularly dangerous mission. Shouldn't he get a cut of that pay just for putting his neck out?"

Hevn shrugged. "It's up to Ms. Miyazaki." she said. "But she's a lot more agreeable than you'd think and I'll bet you she's already working out your share."

Ginji grinned and punched the air. "Oh yeah! I can't wait to eat!" he exclaimed. "But first, I need to get over everything,"

"So how'd she kill them anyway?" Ban asked. Ginji looked up, for the first time, frightened. "Her technique is similar to Jackal's, but there's a difference. I think she uses her own blood as a weapon." he said. Ban's eyes widened in surprise.

"You're kidding!"

"No. She clenched her hand really tight with her nails and punctured her skin. Then she clenched her hand again and this time, a long red rod shot out, just like what Akabane does. She used these to pierce their brains and kill them."

Ban frowned, scratching his chin. "So it isn't the same as Akabane's after all." he mumbled to himself. Meanwhile, Paul was busily typing away on his computer. That's when he whistled and pushed away from it, folding his arms. "Hey guys, I hate to interrupt, but I got something on Jackal and believe me, it's interesting," he said quickly. Everyone rushed over to get a better look.

"No way!" Ban and Ginji exclaimed.

A/N: Cliffhanger!! I hate them, but I love to write them. I can't help it! I'm sorry. Don't shoot me. Oh, and for all of you Get Backers fans, read Underlying Personalities by Cauryn Terenkey. Cauryn and I were the first ones to come up with the Akabane/Natsumi pairing! We are so stoked!! It's a good story, albeit on hiatus, but we're working on it. Interesting fact, _Macbeth_ really is known in the acting world as 'The Scottish Play'. Superstitious folks are too afraid to call it by its name for fear bad luck will descend upon them.


	4. Puzzle Pieces

A/N: Okay, here's the next chapter. Don't really have much to say this time around, but I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm pleased to mention that it's being read now!! Yay!!

"War record?" Ginji exclaimed. "Akabane participated in the war?"

"That's what it says. Only for four months, though," Paul told him. "It says he left for personal reasons. But here's the _really_ interesting part-it says he went to serve as a doctor on the battlefield."

"_What!?_" Ban and Ginji shrieked. "_Akabane, a doctor!?_"

"That's what it says."

"Where are you getting this info?" Hevn asked.

"I found an old bio in the government's records. I have a friend who pulled some strings awhile back and lets me look into their archives."

"Hm," Hevn mumbled, "So the infamous Dr. Jackal served as a doctor in the war, but quit after four months in service. That's a little odd."

"A little?" Ban exclaimed in shock. "The guy's a cold-blooded murderer!"

"Hm," Ginji said, scratching his chin in thought, "Maybe the war messed him up mentally or something."

"At any rate, it's a start," Hevn said, "But there's still no link between him and Ms. Miyazaki that we know of."

Ban smirked and hummed as the doors jingled. He took his cigarette out and nodded. "I don't know about that, Hevn," he said, glancing over at the person who just came in, "From the look on Himiko's face, I'd say we've got a lead."

//ooo//

Ms. Miyazaki sat on her sofa with Miki sitting in her lap, purring happily after having eaten recently. Her brother, Yuki, was still chowing down in the kitchen. Ms. Miyazaki scratched Miki's ears and smiled. "You two are the lights of my life, you know that?" she told Miki. Miki continued to purr, kneading her paws on Ms. Miyazaki's leg. She winced and chuckled. "I kind of wish I could have you de-clawed, but I made a promise not to do that, Miki."

She glanced back at Yuki, sitting in the kitchen with his food bowl. She reached up and fingered the white ribbon still tied around her neck. Then she gently placed Miki on the floor and got up, moving over to the balcony. She opened the door and stepped out into the cool night air. Miki rubbed up against her legs, purring. Ms. Miyazaki sighed, leaning on the railing. She was on the top floor of the condominium complex she'd once shared with her grandmother. It was hard to believe it had already been six years since she died. She'd left her a substantial inheritance that allowed her to remain in this place. But the drawback was that without her grandmother, Ms. Miyazaki was now all alone at the still-tender age of twenty-seven. There had been one person that would have probably made the difference, but that was pretty much over, now. Still, she missed those days.

"I miss you, too." she whispered to this person. "How are you doing now, I wonder?"

She turned back when the phone began to ring suddenly, scaring Yuki out of the kitchen. She went back inside and grabbed it on the seventh ring. "This is Kannaya Miyazaki," she mumbled. "Oh, it's you. Look, I did the job, those two are dead; what more do you want?...No, I insist he get a cut of the pay as well. This was a very dangerous mission and it's the least I can do to thank him...No, I don't want to debate about it; you divide it up equally and give him his damn share! Do you understand?...Don't bring that person into this! Just give the kid his god-damned share! Good bye!"

She slammed the phone down, breathing heavily. She wanted so badly to cry right now, but didn't let herself be taken in by her own emotions. Instead, she scooped up Miki and with Yuki running at her heels, she went back into her bedroom, changed into her nightgown and burrowed beneath the covers. With Miki on one side and Yuki on the other, she switched off the light and curled into a ball, slowly feeling the warm tears slip from her eyes and into the pillow. Knowing she couldn't hold it back any longer, she gave up and cried herself to sleep.

//ooo//

Himiko wandered in, carrying a stack of papers in her arms. She set them on the counter and fixed Ban and Ginji with a look of no-nonsense. "Okay boys, I dug up what I could. Believe me, the Jackal is hard to pin down, but I think I got some good leads."

"I hope so. Paul found out that he participated in the war as a doctor on the battlefield," Ban said. Himiko sighed. "Well, there goes some of my info. I found that, too. I couldn't find his reasons for leaving, but from what else I found, it seems he became a transporter soon after leaving. It turns out he quit not only his position in the war, but also his entire career. I managed to track down an old classmate of his from college. It took eight different tries, but I finally found out that he attended college in America and graduated top of his class."

"Woah," Ginji said, "I guess the guy's smart. But why America?"

"I was getting to that. He was only twenty when he graduated. This means that he skipped some grades earlier in life."

"Y-You mean-?" Ginji stammered. Himiko nodded. "Yup. We're dealing with a child prodigy, here. American colleges are used to accepting kids who've skipped grades. I suppose it made sense for him to continue his schooling out there. Anyway, I managed to get in touch with a classmate of his out there. The guy's name is Andrew McCarthy. I asked him if he remembered going to school with a man named Kuroudo Akabane. He said that he recalled him well. I asked him to look up some more info for me so we'll probably hear from him, soon."

"Man," Ban grumbled, "So Akabane was a child prodigy who went to medical school in America, then went to the war as a doctor of all things, quit and then became a transporter and merciless killer?"

"Before you get all disappointed, I did manage to find one more thing. Akabane wasn't just a doctor; it turns out he was a highly skilled surgeon, well known in the medical world by the age of twenty-four. And get this, he at one time worked in the hospital in Hokkaido."

"So why is that big?" Ban asked.

"Because of the info I found on Ms. Miyazaki," Paul interrupted. "I'm guessing Himiko must have found the exact same info. Remember? She was originally from Hokkaido."

Ban and Ginji exchanged glances and Ban sighed heavily. "Okay, so now we have a slight lead on how they could have possibly met. But there's still no clear connection."

"It's better than nothing," Hevn said. "But the Jackal, a doctor? It's really hard to believe."

Ginji grinned. "At least now we know where the scalpels came from," he said.

"Yeah," Ban said. "But why on earth did he give up a successful job as a surgeon to become a measly transporter?"

"Something must have happened to him." Ginji suggested. "Something so bad, it completely changed him. But how does Ms. Miyazaki fit into all of this?"

"Not sure," Himiko said. "But I'll keep looking and let you know as soon as I find out."

"Great," Ginji said, "Thanks, Himiko."

Himiko gathered up her information and left. Ban and Ginji were then left to think about the information they'd received.

"You know, I almost feel sorry for the guy," Ginji mumbled.

"Huh?" Ban said, stunned.

"Well, I don't know what happened to him to make him quit everything he'd worked for, but whatever it was had to have been devastating. I wish I could ask him."

"Yeah, but you'd just get a knife down your throat in the process." Ban muttered, lighting up a cigarette.

Hevn sighed, "Well boys, I'm going to head home. I'll keep digging around and hope I find something."

"Thanks," Ban said as Hevn left, too. Behind the counter, Natsumi finished drying some dishes and sighed. "This is kinda worrisome." she said.

"What is?" Paul asked.

"Ms. Miyazaki seems to be such a nice lady. But when I met her, she seemed so sad and empty. It was like she was dead on the inside."

"I kinda got that same feeling, Natsumi," Ginji said. "But what is the connection between her and Akabane?"

"With any luck, we'll find out soon." Ban said. Natsumi hummed, stared down at the counter and then smiled. "I know! I can go and visit Ms. Miyazaki tomorrow on my day off! Maybe that'll cheer her up!"

"Do you even know where she lives?" Ginji asked.

"Uh, well, no." Natsumi sighed. "I guess that was impulsive."

"Not necessarily," Paul said, still typing on his laptop, "It seemed to me that Ms. Miyazaki took a liking to you, as most people usually do," he said with a smile. Ban and Ginji both nodded. "Yeah. Maybe you can get her to tell you what's going on." Ginji suggested. Natsumi smiled. "Maybe. But I really do want to see if I can help. She just seemed so, I don't know, lonely. You know?"

"Yeah. But who knows? Maybe we'll get through to her." Ginji answered. He yawned widely. "Well, I'm gonna call it a day. Being an assassin's assistant is tiring."

Natsumi watched them leave and sighed. Paul glanced up. "Is something wrong, Natsumi?"

Natsumi didn't answer right away. She was staring down at the counter with a faraway look in her eyes, as though she were thinking very deeply about something. Paul frowned, but didn't press further. Sometimes, Natsumi could be a very strange girl.

//ooo//

Across town, someone else was deep in thought. Standing on the roof of a building, Dr. Jackal stared across the city, lost in his own head. This was a luxury he didn't get to indulge in that often. Constantly on the watch kept him living on a knife's edge, not that he didn't enjoy it. Even so, he still heard it as someone approached from behind. He raised his hand, producing four knives in an ominous warning to the intruder.

"Watch yourself," he said, "I'm hardly in a mood to be sociable right at the moment."

"It's only me, Dr. Jackal." Himiko grumbled. He lowered the knives, pulling them back into his hand. "Ah, Ms. Kudo. I understand you've been doing a little undercover work as of late."

"How'd you know that?"

"I have some reliable sources. Mind telling me what you've been digging up?"

"Yes, I do mind. What I do is none of your business. However, I do have a question for you."

"Go right ahead."

"Do you know someone named Andrew McCarthy?"

Akabane froze up, his hand twitching. Himiko took an impulsive step back, even fully aware of the fact that she couldn't outrun him if she tried.

"Andrew McCarthy," Akabane repeated. "Ah, my old college friend. It's been awhile. How did you know about him, Ms. Himiko?"

"He called today, asking to speak with you. I told him I'd give him your number so he could talk to you directly."

Akabane turned slightly, his one visible eye a mere slit as he stared at her. He seemed to be contemplating her request. Finally, he sighed and made his way over, pulling the rim of his hat down over his face. "My apologies, Ms. Himiko, but I don't wish to speak to him at present."

Himiko watched him warily as he made his way past her, toward the staircase leading back down. She whirled. "So what am I supposed to say if he calls again?" she snapped.

"Whatever you'd like, of course."

Himiko scowled. "Jackal, do you know how irritating you are?" she shrieked. He glanced back, smiling. "Indeed I do. I do my best, after all. Have a good night, Ms. Himiko."

Himiko shook her head and sighed. "What a weirdo." she muttered.

On his way downstairs, Akabane ran through their conversation again. Andrew had been present at the hospital that day, the day that pretty much caused everything to snowball. Akabane figured that investigation was being done into matters that were none of their concern. But he knew there wasn't much he could do about it. After all, even if they found out the truth, things couldn't be the same again and he knew it.

Akabane pulled the rim of his hat down again, his eyes strangely empty, almost sad. "So it's beginning then? Well then, I wish you luck." he muttered.

//ooo//

The next day found Ban and Ginji sitting in the Honky Tonk watching Paul read the paper while Natsumi brewed some tea. Earlier that morning, Paul had announced that he'd found Ms. Miyazaki's address for Natsumi, who still wanted to go over and see if she could help in any way. Ban was starting to have second thoughts, however. He wasn't sure about Ms. Miyazaki.

"She could be just as dangerous as Akabane is." he said. "After all, from what Ginji said, she kills just as heartlessly."

"Yeah," Paul said, "But Akabane kills indiscriminately. Those men Ms. Miyazaki killed last night were terrorists."

"Yeah," Ginji said, "Besides, she seems nice."

"Last night you were saying she gave you the creeps." Ban muttered. Ginji shrugged.

Natsumi sighed. "Well, seeing as it's my day off, I'll go visit her anyway. Hevn said she'd come along with."

"Huh?" Ban exclaimed. "Hevn?"

"Yeah," Paul said, "I told her the address and she's going there with Natsumi. Maybe you guys will get some answers this way."

Natsumi took off her apron and hung it up on the rack behind the counter. "Well, I'll see you later guys!" she said just as the door opened and Hevn stepped in. "Morning. Oh, hey Natsumi, you ready to go?"

"Yup."

"Wait! Wait a second!" Ban yelled. But they ignored him and left without a word. Ban thumped his head on the counter and groaned. "No respect." he growled.

//ooo//

Ms. Miyazaki sat out on the balcony with Miki in her lap and Yuki dozing beside her on the deck. She'd decided to wear a plain pear of jeans with a black shirt that had a white embroidery pattern on it. She'd braided her hair and draped it over her shoulder. As she stared out at the city of Shinjuku, she found herself being drawn back into old memories; of when her parents died and she attended their funerals. Of when her grandmother had to to the hospital for surgery. Of when after the surgery-

She whirled when the doorbell rang suddenly, leaping to her feet and scattering poor Miki. She made her way to the door, pausing to grab a knife from the counter on her way. "Just a second!" she called. Brandishing the knife, she cautiously reached up to look out the peephole. Her grip on the knife relaxed and she threw it back into the sink from where she stood. She opened the door. "Hevn, Natsumi? What the heck are you doing here?" she asked. Natsumi smiled. "We decided to pay you a little visit." she said. Ms. Miyazaki frowned, but shrugged and ushered them inside. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'll make some tea." she said. She went into the kitchen alcove and took out the kettle. Natsumi followed her in, glancing into the sink at the knife. "Um, this thing is clean. Why's it in the sink?" she asked.

"I thought you guys were intruders, so I took it with me," Ms. Miyazaki said without looking up. Natsumi bristled in slight shock, but didn't reply. Hevn came in and leaned on the wall, watching her. "Nice place," she said. "It's very tasteful."

"My grandmother decorated it before she died." Ms. Miyazaki said. "I kept it the way it was because I grew up with it like this."

"Why did you live with your grandmother, again?" Natsumi asked. The warning look Hevn shot her instantly made her regret the question. Ms. Miyazaki turned the stove on to boil the water in the kettle. She sighed and folded her arms. "My parents were killed in a terrorist attack. Grandma took me in. I was only twelve."

"I see," Natsumi murmured. "I'm sorry."

Ms. Miyazaki turned with a smile. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind my life. In fact, I rather enjoy it on occasion."

"Why?" Natsumi asked.

"I'll show you." she said. She clicked her tongue rapidly in the direction of the back room. She then gently pushed Natsumi and Hevn up against the wall. "I'd stand back if I were you. We're about to have a stampede." she said. The floor began to shake as the sound of hurrying feet came dashing into range. Instantly, two black and silver streaks appeared in the kitchen, leaping up onto the counter and Ms. Miyazaki, who laughed. She pulled the smaller ball of fluff down and smiled. "This is Miki and the behemoth on the counter is her brother Yuki." she said. Natsumi gasped, her eyes wide, "Wow! They're even more beautiful in person!" she exclaimed. Ms. Miyazaki stroked Miki's back and handed her to Natsumi, who took her gently.

"They're a bit unusual," Ms. Miyazaki said, scratching Yuki's ears. "Maine Coons are typically shy and afraid of new people. These two adore everyone.

Miki was pure silver in color with big green eyes and lynx tips on her ears. Yuki was black on top with a pure white belly. He also had lynx tips and was noticeably bigger than Miki. His eyes were bright golden.

"I love them!" Natsumi exclaimed. Miki bumped her head up against Natsumi's chin while the girl scratched her ears affectionately.

"They do shed a lot though, being long-haired breeds. I comb them three times a week." Ms. Miyazaki told her. She pushed Yuki off the counter and got out the packets of tea. "What do you guys want?" she asked. "I have lemon, ginger and jasmine. Normally, I have a lot more variety, but I need to go shopping soon."

"Ginger sounds good." Natsumi said. "How about you, Hevn?"

"I think Ginger sounds fine." Hevn said. Ms. Miyazaki nodded. "Ginger it is, then. Why don't you go out front and wait?"

The inside of the condo was sparse, but tasteful. There were paintings of color abstract landscapes here and there, depicting a seaside, or a town or a field. In each one, there was a girl standing with her face obscured or facing away. She wore a white summer dress and hat with a pink ribbon. On her back were two feathery wings that seemed to stand out in a brilliant white and grow bigger in each painting. Natsumi gazed at each picture in turn. "They're beautiful," she said as Ms. Miyazaki came back in carrying a tray with cookies and the tea. She set it down on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "Thank you. I actually helped grandma paint those. She started me on my love of art. I actually have a small studio downtown. But I haven't visited it in years. Those paintings are her _Mireille_ series. She painted two of them, but died before she could finish it herself. I took over and painted every other painting on the wall. It's not done, and I doubt it ever will be."

"Who's Mireille?" Natsumi asked.

"Mireille was my mother's name. As a boon to her memory, grandma painted mom as an angelic girl standing in various parts of the world. She doesn't live in just one time or place. She transcends time itself. Her wings begin small, but as she moves through her life, watching people and being unnoticed in return, they grow bigger and bigger. In the last painting, she'll finally be able to fly."

"Where is the last painting?" Hevn asked. "I count eight, but none of them show her flying."

Ms. Miyazaki picked Miki up off the floor and set her in her lap. "I told you; I haven't been to my studio in five years. It's still sketched out on its dusty canvas underneath the tarp."

"How come you don't finish it?" Natsumi asked.

"No time. Either that, or lack of interest. I lost my interest in art halfway through college. It just seemed meaningless to me after that."

Hevn and Natsumi exchanged glances. "Hey," Hevn said, "We wanted to ask you. Do you know Kuroudo Akabane?"

Ms. Miyazaki busied herself with scratching Miki's ears. Yuki jumped up beside her on the sofa. She sighed.

"I thought I did. I guess I was mistaken." she mumbled. "I'd rather not talk about it. Hevn, tell me, was my client too upset over my nearly getting caught?"

Natsumi frowned skeptically. She changed the subject quickly. Almost too quickly. Natsumi was as curious as everyone, now. Just what was the connection between them? What was the connection between Kannaya Miyazaki and Kuroudo Akabane?

Two hours passed and Hevn, Natsumi, and Ms. Miyazaki chatted about various things and points in their lives. All the while, Natsumi continued to notice the sadness in Ms. Miyazaki's eyes. Natsumi felt some kind of idea forming in her mind, but she was too afraid to wonder if it was true or not. She decided she'd think about bringing it up.

Finally, Hevn glanced at her watch and her eyes went wide. "Woah, is it that late already? Time sure flies when you're having fun."

"Yes, it does." Ms. Miyazaki agreed. "I hate to, but I'm afraid I'll have to say good night. I have an early job tomorrow morning."

"Yes, of course," Hevn said, "We'll be busy as well, right Natsumi?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, right!"

Ms. Miyazaki smiled faintly as they made their way to the door. Hevn opened it and Natsumi stepped out. She handed Miki back to Ms. Miyazaki and bowed. "Thanks for having us over," she said.

"Even though you guys forced your way in?" Ms. Miyazaki said wryly. Hevn and Natsumi giggled sheepishly.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Have a good night, you two." Ms. Miyazaki said. They left and she closed the door. Instantly, her smile faded and she hugged Miki closer.

"Damn it," she whispered into Miki's fur. "Why can't they just mind their own business?"

With that, she sighed, dropped Miki down onto the floor and went back out onto the deck. She wasn't going to sleep much, tonight.


	5. The Ultimate Shock

A/N: Here it is, the big one! After this, everything kinda goes a little haywire, but I hope it works anyway. I'm having too much fun with this story, so much that I'm barely writing Of Promises and Perseverance. I need to start again or I'll lose it. Wish me luck.

The Ultimate Shock

Dawn crept over the horizon just as a single cry of pain was heard over the city. In an slum part of town, Ms. Miyazaki sighed as she allowed her rods to dissipate back into blood on the ground beside her victim. An elderly man with an evil streak. His assassination had been requested by the families of the young girls he'd murdered in cold blood. The guy was at least in his seventies. It was probably why he got away with it so easily. But she had to wonder what kind of judge would only give the guy a decade when he deserved life at least. She just hoped that the families wouldn't send her after the judge, next. It was her rule to take any job. But she didn't really have the stomach for killing dealers of justice. If she got the call for his death, she'd have no choice but to suck it up and pull through.

She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number of her client.

"_Who is it this early in the morning!?" _

"Kannaya Miyazaki, of course. Who else?" she snapped. Her client was being needlessly rude. She didn't _have_ to agree to a twilight murder.

"_Oh, it's you. Is he dead?" _

"As a door-nail."

"_Good. Come by my office later. I'll have your payment ready." _

"You'd better. I'm in a bad mood right now and I don't appreciate jokes from your tone of voice." she growled. She hung up and stuck her phone in her pocket. She sighed, glaring down at the body. "What a pain." she muttered. With that, she stalked off. But within seconds, her pace slowed and she found herself going back into her memories again.

_"So tell me, what do you plan to do with the rest of your life?" _

_ "I'm not sure. I help grandma with the paintings all the time. I think I'd like to continue my career as an artist."_

_ "A well-respected profession. I wish you luck, my dear." _

_ "And I wish you luck," _

_ "With what, exactly?" _

_ "I'm not the most trusting soul. I wish you luck with keeping me won over." _

_ "Consider your challenge accepted. You won't be disappointed, for I don't intend to lose." _

Ms. Miyazaki snapped herself out of her reverie and was shocked to realize that she was crying. Why on earth would she remember something trivial like that at a time like this? Those days were gone. Nothing could be the same again. Not since everything changed.

"Damn it," she snapped. She left the alley, angrier than ever. She decided she'd go home and make some tea before going to collect her fee. She didn't want to be too angry when she met that son of a gun who ordered her to kill an elderly man. No matter what he did, she still didn't like it.

//ooo//

Ban sighed, staring up at the wall while Ginji dozed on the counter beside him. Natsumi was busy washing a few dishes and Paul was still searching up facts on his computer. With the new information they'd gotten from Himiko, everyone had been silent, wondering what possible leads they might come up with. Hevn was sitting calmly sipping a cup of tea next to Ginji. "You guys need to stop fussing. We'll find out soon, I hope." she muttered.

"I'm just dying to know." Ginji said, "It's so irritating. It's like I get it, but I don't get it. How could they possibly know each other and how is it connected? I just don't get it."

"Man, does Akabane freak you out that much?" Hevn asked.

"In a word, yes." Ginji moaned. "Fighting that guy took about twenty years off my life."

"Well," Ban said, "I talked to Himiko. She said she'd found a new lead, that we'll be crazy interested in it, and that she's coming by as fast as she can to show it to us."

"Do you think it's what we've been waiting for?" Ginji asked.

"She certainly sounded excited enough for it to be. But I don't really know."

"When is she supposed to be here?" Hevn asked.

"About ten-thirty. It's ten, now." Ban said. "We've still got a bit. So, how'd things go on your end last night talking to her?"

"Well, as you requested, I asked her if she knew Akabane. She danced around the subject, but replied, 'I thought I knew him but I was mistaken' or something like that."

"Oh, well _that's_ a big help." Ban growled. "At least now we know they knew each other. What we need to know now is whether they were friends or enemies."

They all jumped when the door slammed open suddenly, revealing Himiko standing there, gasping. Ban, Hevn, Ginji, Natsumi, and Paul all stared in amazement. She had a man standing with her, looking somewhat bewildered by the whole thing. He had short brown hair with red highlights and the uniform of an ambulance driver. He was also American.

"Himiko," Ban said, "You're early."

"I know, but this guy's plane has to leave in four hours and I needed him to talk to you. It's real important."

She pulled him inside and sat him down at the counter. "I'm sorry I dragged you all this way, Mr. McCarthy," she said. Ban and Ginji leapt up in shock, "This is Mr. McCarthy!? The guy who went to medical school with Akabane!?" they exclaimed. Andrew McCarthy nodded pleasantly. "Yeah, that's me. I was talking with Ms. Kudo here and she asked if I could help them. I told her I was visiting my roommates from when I lived out here for a couple of years and she insisted I come over. I understand you want to know about what happened with my former classmate, Kuroudo."

"Yeah," Ginji said. "Um, do you by any chance know what he does, now?"

Andrew frowned. "You know, I haven't spoken to him in years. I assume he's still a surgeon."

Ginji sighed unhappily. "Should we tell him?" he asked Ban.

"What's the point in keeping it a secret now that you just said that, you bean-head." Ban snapped. "Hey, McCarthy," he started.

"Please, call me Andrew."

"Okay, Andrew, then. Hate to tell you this, but Akabane's not a surgeon anymore. He works as a transporter and kills people for a living."

Andrew's eyes went wide in horror and he shook his head. "Wha? He-he kills people? But, that can't be right. Kuroudo was such a nice guy; I don't understand," he said, verging on total shock. Hevn came over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "We don't understand either, Andrew, but we were hoping you could tell us some things that might help. Do you by any chance know a Kannaya Miyazaki?"

Here, Andrew's face lit up slightly and he smiled. "Oh, Kanna," he said, "How could I forget that sweet little thing. Well, not little, but you get the idea."

"So," Ginji said, "Did she and Akabane know each other?"

Andrew blinked. "What do you mean 'did they know each other'?" he exclaimed. "Of course they knew each other."

"Huh?" Ban said. Andrew sighed. "Yeah, of course they knew each other. They were engaged, after all."

The room went as silent as a tomb. Ban and Ginji froze, barely breathing. Hevn's eyes went wider and wider until they couldn't open any further. Himiko gasped and covered her mouth. "No way!" she exclaimed. "Dr. Jackal was-"

"Hm," Natsumi said quietly, "So that's why she seemed so sad."

"What?" Andrew asked. "Wait a minute, are you saying they broke up?"

"I guess so," Ginji muttered. "They recently met up again last week during a big fight. Ms. Miyazaki drove off some kind of creature being controlled by her target and protected Akabane from it. He in turn protected her from the creature while she was, uh, preoccupied. I still don't understand how that fox thingie works, but it's what happened."

Andrew sighed, staring down at the floor. "I can't believe they broke up. Especially given how dedicated they were to each other."

"Can you tell us about this?" Ban asked. Andrew nodded. "Sure. But I don't know much.

"That will be fine; just whatever you know," Himiko said.

"Okay," Andrew began. "Like I said, I don't know much. Kuroudo and I went to different countries after graduation. He went to Hokkaido and I went back to Boston. We continued to email frequently. I went out to visit one year and see how he was doing. When I got there, I found out he was pretty much going steady with a girl named Kanna, who was the granddaughter of one his patients. I got to meet her just once and she was real sweet, you know. Kuroudo was weird; always had been. I didn't really understand their relationship because they were so different, but they seemed happy together. Kanna was such a nice girl, but there were some issues going on that kinda complicated things while I was there. Well, after a week or so, I went back to Boston and didn't hear from him again for a couple of weeks or months. I lost track of the time that passed before the next email. This one said that he and Kanna were engaged and due to be married in the fall. I was happy for him and told him this. He sent me an invite to come back out, which was surprising, seeing how I pretty much drove him bonkers whenever I called." he said, chuckling dryly.

"But then, about six months later, well into winter, I hadn't heard anything about them or the wedding. I sent an email asking if something happened. I even tried calling. Finally, I got a reply from him. He said only that he was sorry and I never heard from him again,"

He shook his head sadly. "He seemed so happy, even through an email. I just can't believe that all of this time, something was wrong and I had no idea. And now, he's a killer."

Natsumi handed him a glass of water and smiled. "It's okay," she said, "Whatever happened to them wasn't your fault. As we speak, we're doing whatever we can to fix this." she said, earning stunned stares from everyone in the room. Andrew smiled and nodded. "Thanks, I appreciate it. Kuroudo was like a brother to me. Even though he was like four years younger than me, I still looked up to him in a way."

Himiko just watched this man, amazed. Akabane had been a totally different person than before. He'd almost seemed normal. To think that someone as cold-hearted and ruthless as Akabane had once been in love was mind boggling. But now that they knew what the connection was, they had to find out what went so wrong.

Andrew left with the condition that they tell him whatever happened and that he wished them the best of luck. Himiko sighed, resting her chin on her arms. "All this time and we never suspected a thing, Maguruma and I," she mumbled. "We worked with him for a long time and he never even mentioned it."

"To think that the infamous Dr. Jackal was engaged to someone as sweet as Ms. Miyazaki," Ginji said, dumbfounded.

"Everything we've learned so far tells us he was a different person back then," Ban pointed out. "I think what we need to do now is talk to Ms. Miyazaki. We need to get her to answer some of our questions."

"But why her?" Ginji said, "Hasn't she been through enough?"

Ban raised an eyebrow. "Akabane it is, then," he said. Ginji made a funny choking noise and slid off his stool. "To Ms. Miyazaki's!" he announced, marching to the door. Hevn grabbed his arm. "Not so fast, you idiot. This job requires a woman's touch. Natsumi, Himiko, and I will go."

Ginji sighed and frowned. "Hevn, I want to be there." he said. "When I went with her to that assignment the other night, I saw something in her eyes the moment she killed those men. I saw a deep sadness, almost like she was reminded too much of him just by committing the same crime he lives for. I felt like I wanted to help her and I will. Right now, the best I can do for her is be there when we go. And we're going right now."

Hevn just stared at him in surprise. Finally, she sighed. "I should have known you'd be stubborn. Fine, we'll go, the four of us only. We have to go right now because she could leave at any minute for a job and we have to know what happened if we want any hope of solving this."

//ooo//

Kannaya Miyazaki sat on the sofa with Miki and Yuki perched on either side of her. She kept running through the old days, remembering what he used to be like. She kept shaking her head. She should never have come back to Shinjuku.

When the doorbell rang, she limply got up to answer it, determined not to let them in. But when she saw Hevn and Natsumi standing there with Ginji and one other person through the hole, she realized she was caught no matter what she did. Slowly, she opened the door and allowed them in. They immediately noticed the difference.

"Hey," Hevn said, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just tired. What do you want?" she asked. Hevn smirked. "We'd like to come in." she said. Ms. Miyazaki frowned, but allowed them in all the same.

"Take a seat everyone," she said, "I'll make some tea."

Hevn took her hand. "That won't be necessary." she said gently. She pulled her over to the front room where everyone was already seated. She sat Ms. Miyazaki down next to Natsumi and then took a seat on her opposite side. "Listen," she said, "I won't beat around the bush. We'll get right to the point. We spoke with Andrew McCarthy today,"

Ms. Miyazaki drew in a sharp breath, horrified. "Andrew?" she muttered.

"Yeah," Hevn said. "Now, to start, this lady over here is Himiko Kudo. She works as a transporter. This boy is Ginji Amano, as I'm sure you remember."

"Yes," Ms. Miyazaki murmured. "What did Andrew have to say?"

Hevn smiled softly. "He told us about you and Kuroudo Akabane." she said quietly. Ms. Miyazaki processed what she'd heard. She stared down at the floor, no longer really seeing it. Her vision began to cloud up uncontrollably. Ginji gasped and reached forward as she slumped over, suddenly crying.

"Ms. Miyazaki!" he exclaimed, "Are you all right?"

Hevn gathered the woman into her arms, hugging her tightly. Natsumi moved closer, wishing she could do something to help. Himiko glanced at Ginji and then back at Ms. Miyazaki.

"I'm sorry," Hevn said, "But we had to know."

Ms. Miyazaki was too distraught to speak at the moment. She just continued to cry in horrible, racking sobs. Hevn just held her comfortingly, waiting patiently for her to calm down.

Finally, Ms. Miyazaki settled enough for Hevn to ask her again to tell them about it. At first, she was reluctant. Natsumi took her hands and smiled at her. "You've kept it bottled up for a long time, haven't you?" she said. Ms. Miyazaki stared at her and then nodded a few times.

"I just tried not to think about it." she said, her voice hoarse. "But I never thought his friend from college would be in on it."

"Is this why you didn't like his name mentioned?" Ginji asked. She nodded. He sighed and tilted his head. "You...you still love him, don't you?" he mumbled.

"With all of my heart," she muttered bitterly. "But it's too late now."

"What exactly happened, anyway?" Natsumi asked.

"He changed. That's all." Ms. Miyazaki mumbled. "I couldn't do anything to help, so I left and that was that."

"Can you tell us about it?" Hevn asked. Ms. Miyazaki's eyes took on a faraway look as she stared out the window at the city below them. Everyone almost seemed to disappear from her gaze as she nodded and began her story. They felt as though they were being taken back six years into the past, back to the very start of all of this madness. Ms. Miyazaki herself seemed to vanish within her own words as she brought back memories she'd forced herself to lock far in her mind. The memories came back, returning her to forgotten time.

Back to the day they met.

A/N: And here we go, the memory sequence. Actually, half the story is taken up by this. It started so simple and just evolved as I got more and more inspiration. Maybe it'll turn out to be something cool. Or, it could just turn into one big mess. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed it.


	6. First Meeting

A/N: Here's the first installment of Ms. Miyazaki's memory sequence! Yay! I'm now so used to calling her Kanna that I'm not used to how I've introduced her anymore. I should probably start trying to get used to it. Oh well. Akabane is going to be slightly ooc here, but I have legitimate reason for doing this, as you will see through further reading.

First Meeting

_"This is gonna be a killer idea! I'm gonna be the top of the medical world, Kuroudo, you just watch and see! I'll be the best there ever was!"_

Akabane sighed, leaning his head on his hand in boredom as he half-listened to his friend on the phone. "Yeah, Andrew. That and five hundred yen will get you a cup of coffee. Listen, as much as I adore our little chats, there's a major difference between us at the moment. I happen to be between calls and you are in the middle of your shift. I'd suggest returning to it before you're demoted."

"_Can that really happen in a hospital?" _

"Do you want to find out?" Akabane smirked.

"_No, I suppose not. All right, time to get back to work. Catch you later, Kuroudo." _

Akabane hung up and sighed. Ever since he'd returned to Boston, Andrew had been a little too quirky for his liking. It was painful just talking to him.

He headed outside for a little quiet before getting ready for his next shift. He made his way along the outside path where patrons of the hospital often walked with visiting family members. There was a little patch of trees he enjoyed sitting by. It was a little ways off the pathway, so no one ever went over there. Because of recent gang activity, visitors tended to stick close to the main building if they could help it. Somehow, it made them feel safer. But Akabane wasn't too worried. He went over to this little spot almost every day when he had time. He didn't expect anyone to be there.

But when he arrived, he found he was wrong. Someone _was_ there. Sitting at the base of the oak tree just outside the ring of cherry trees was a young woman, just reading. From a distance, he could see that she looked maybe twenty or twenty-one. Slightly irritated that the place was occupied, he sighed and made his way over.

"What are you reading?" he asked. She glanced up, expressionless.

"_The Count of Monte Cristo_," she replied simply.

"Classic," Akabane said, "The ultimate story of revenge and fortune on the high seas, or so I understand. I've never read it."

"It's a favorite." the woman said quietly.

"Of yours?"

"No, of grandma's. I'm reading it to her while she's here." she said, dog-earring the page and standing up, flicking the grass from her skirt.

"Your grandmother is a patient here?" Akabane asked.

"Yeah. She's scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning."

Akabane stuck his hands into the pockets of his white coat. "I see. In that case, I suppose I'll be seeing you again," he said with a smile. She tilted her head in confusion. "Why?"

"I'm the surgeon scheduled to perform her surgery." he told her.

"You're Dr. Akabane?"

"Yes. And you must be Kannaya."

Kannaya looked away, strangely silent. "Yeah," she muttered. Akabane frowned. "Is something the matter?"

"Um, how much would this surgery cost?" she asked. He gazed down at the ground, thinking. "Lets' see...possibly close to two-million yen, at the least."

Her expression faltered for a moment and then she nodded. "I see. And this operation will save her?"

"Well, seeing as the infliction is cystic fibrosis, the best we can do is a double lung transplant. I'm afraid this will buy her a few more years, but that it's not permanent."

"I know."

Akabane frowned as something occurred to him. "Excuse me for asking, but how is it possible for you to be-"

"Good afternoon, Doctor." Kannaya muttered, moving off further down the path. Akabane stared after her, slightly confused. One of the symptoms of CF was infertility. Kannaya said that the woman was her grandmother. He shrugged and sighed. Maybe she was adopted. With this in mind, he turned and headed back inside, suddenly no longer in the mood to remain outside.

//ooo//

The following morning was as hectic as ever. True to his word, Akabane had prepared for hours for this crucial surgery involving the elderly woman, Sumika Miyazaki. He was told that Kannaya was being kept on standby in case one of the transplant lungs failed. Even though she clearly couldn't be related by blood due to the circumstances involved, it turned out that she and Sumika shared the same blood type.

There was always a sense of foreboding just before a major surgery. Akabane could sense it better than anyone. It was a relatively stable procedure. He knew what he was doing and did his job well. Thankfully, everything went well during the six hours it took for the surgery to reach its completion. The transplants were installed without much problem and the old woman was being moved into a room where they could keep an eye on her while she recovered.

He left the surgery afterward, somewhat tired, but satisfied with the final result. Waiting on a bench in the hallway, however, he found Kannaya, sitting slightly slumped over and apparently dozing. Had she sat waited patiently for six hours while the operation was going on? He removed his scrub hat and stuffed it in his pocket and pulled his mask down. He was glad he'd already disposed of the blood-soaked rubber gloves.

"Kannaya?" he muttered. She opened her eyes and sat up groggily. She gazed up at him sleepily, not quite registering who he was at first. Then, it hit her and she shot to her feet. "How did it go? Is she okay?" she exclaimed.

"Relax," he said pleasantly, "It was a complete success. She's being transferred to another room as we speak."

Kannaya sighed heavily and sat back down, smiling to herself. "That's a relief. I was making myself sick."

"How long have you been here, Kannaya?" he asked carefully.

"Since the operation started." she answered as though it were the plainest thing in the world. He knew it. She really _had_ been sitting there for six hours. He sighed and shook his head. "You are one dedicated granddaughter," he said. She smiled. "Thank you, doctor." she answered.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better today."

"Yeah, about that. I'm very sorry for being so rude yesterday. I've been on pins and needles for the past week worrying myself sick about grandma."

"Have your parents been here at all?"

Kannaya stared down at the ground. "They're dead, doctor." she said quietly.

"Oh. I'm sorry," he said.

"It's fine." she said. But she froze up with a squeak just as a faint growling sounded out in the empty hallway. "Good grief," she muttered.

"I take it you haven't eaten," he said wryly.

"Yeah," she said. He chuckled. "Tell you what. I'm going to change out of these scrubs. Why don't you join me for some lunch in the cafeteria?"

"But my grandma-"

"-Is in good hands with the staff here, Kannaya. Undue worry will only send you to the hospital as well. Her actual doctor is giving her a thorough once-over so at the moment, neither of us can do anything until she's settled in, which will probably take some time."

Kannaya thought about it for a few minutes and then smiled at him. "Okay, you win. But only because I'm starving." she said.

//ooo//

Back in his regular uniform, Akabane made his way down to the cafeteria, wondering if she'd actually be there. From what little he knew about her, Kannaya was a strange girl. He didn't know anyone who could sit for six straight hours in a bland hallway with nothing to do but worry and not lose their marbles completely. He knew he could never do it; he got bored too easily.

He glanced around, scanning the room for any sign of her. It was still early, around eleven. Hardly anyone was down here yet. He saw her sitting at a table in the back, reading her book. She glanced up as he approached and smiled. "Hey," she said as he sat down across from her.

"Still reading?"

"Yeah. It's becoming my favorite now, too."

He frowned. She was still worried; he could see it in everything she did. Her hands also shook as she closed the book.

"Kannaya, she's going to be fine. You can probably see her within the hour."

"I know, I know."

"Aside from that, I can tell your blood sugar is probably low."

"Way to point out the obvious." Kannaya mumbled. She smiled. "I came down here for a reason,"

The food in the cafeteria wasn't the greatest. Akabane was satisfied with a bowl of chicken soup. Kannaya bought herself a sandwich and an orange juice. But she still wouldn't touch it.

"Kannaya," he said.

"I know, quit reminding me. I'm not as worried anymore, I just have a lot on my mind."

"May I ask what?"

"College. I'm studying art at Tokyo University during summer semesters."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I always loved drawing. I carry a sketch pad just about everywhere I go."

"Do you have any drawings with you?" he asked. She nodded and reached into the pocket of her skirt. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to him. He unfolded it and his eyes widened slightly. "This is exceptional work." he said. "Is this your grandmother?"

"Yes. I sketched that two weeks ago and I've been adding fine detail since then. I'm never satisfied. I always see something else that could be fixed or added. My teachers are always flustered at me because I never finish my work on time."

"I've always heard that to be dissatisfied with your own work is a sign of creative genius." Akabane told her.

"I've heard that too, but there's a limit to everything." Kannaya said. "For instance, there's a man in my class who claims to be Michelangelo reincarnate. But all of his drawings and portraits make me feel ill, not inspired. I pity the poor soul who tries to tell him this."

"Have you?"

"Once. He threw a canvas at me." she said with a laugh. "In spite of him, I enjoy the class."

"What do you plan to do later on?"

"Hopefully, open up a ceramic studio. You know, the kind where people can come in and paint projects or if they're skilled enough, throw their own."

"I wish you luck, then," Akabane said.

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"How long have you been a surgeon?" Kannaya asked.

"I don't talk about it often, but not very long. Five years, maybe."

"That's not long at all." Kannaya said skeptically.

"I graduated from medical school at age twenty. I skipped several grades which made this possible."

"So you're only twenty-six?"

Akabane raised an eyebrow in surprise. "How'd you figure that so easily?"

"I'm a good guesser." Kannaya said, smiling. "It's amazing to think how good you are at your work when you're in a sense, still a rookie."

"Not a good word, Kannaya. I've outstripped several of the veterans around here." he said. "As you might guess, I'm not increasingly popular here."

"Well, you have one fan, at least."

"Who?"

"Who else?" Kannaya said. "You saved my grandma's life. Consider me your number one fan."

"I don't know," he mumbled. Kannaya sighed. "Don't tell me this place sticks by that rule that staff can't mingle with patients and visitors." she said.

"Our director tends to be a little strict on matters." Akabane said. "But this rule is slowly eroding right out from beneath him. I imagine there's no harm being done, here."

"In that case, I hope you'll agree to talk to me again, sometime."

"Why Kannaya, I'd be delighted."

"Okay, now that we're friends, first things first, drop the formalities. Call me Kanna."

"The same goes for you, then, Kanna." Akabane countered.

"But I don't know your name."

"Very well, then, my name is Kuroudo."

"Then it's very nice to meet you Kuroudo."

In seconds, they'd almost dissolved in barely concealed laughter. Akabane quickly recomposed himself and cleared his throat. "Careful, Kanna, you'll make me become unprofessional."

"I'd hate for that to happen." Kannaya said, laughing. She peeled the crust off her sandwich. "I wouldn't want you to blame me, or anything."

Akabane smiled pleasantly. "I wouldn't dream of it."

//ooo//

Akabane was heading up to check on Sumika Miyazaki. He understood from her records she was coming along quite nicely and was scheduled to be released within the next week or so, much more quickly than anticipated. Two days following her operation and she was progressing well. He hoped things would stay this way. But at the same time, a part of him didn't want Sumika to be released so suddenly. Over the past two days, he and Kanna had become rather close as friends. He wasn't sure if she'd come back to visit after Sumika was released. He was so busy himself that he couldn't always leave the hospital for more than a few hours at a time.

He opened the door to Sumika's hospital room. Inside, he found Sumika, obviously, Kanna seated beside her and surprisingly, a young man with black hair, thin glasses, and a rather snobby expression on his face. He resembled Kanna somewhat.

Kanna had been giving Sumika some water when he came in. Her face brightened and she smiled. "Morning doctor," she said out of respect during his shift. The young man glared at Kanna and got to his feet, extending his hand. "Good morning, Dr. Akabane," he said roughly. Akabane shook his hand, maintaining his cool posture in spite of such an intimidating individual.

"Morning," he said to Kanna. "Good morning, Sumika. How are you feeling today?"

Sumika opened her eyes groggily and glared at him, smiling irritably. "Hungry," she grumbled. "I'd like my morning toast."

Akabane chuckled. "I'm afraid you aren't quite ready for solids yet, Sumika. Give it another day and we'll try you on some applesauce."

"Pudding." the old woman said.

"Pudding it is, then. I brought you your progress. You're doing exceptionally well. We expect you to be released within the next couple of weeks. We'll need to start you on a strengthening program to test your new lungs, of course."

"I still want toast." Sumika said. Kanna smiled at her and took her hand. "Be patient, grandma. As soon as we get home, you can have as much toast as you'd like."

"With jelly?"

"Any flavor you'd like," Kanna said. Akabane found he couldn't help but smile at this pointless conversation. Kanna knew full well that Sumika would have to follow a protein diet to strengthen her muscles while at home and she'd be on it for several weeks. Jelly probably wouldn't be on the menu.

"Well, I'll leave the three of you," Akabane said, nodding. He left the room and was almost to the next room when he heard Sumika's door open. Kanna came out and hurried over.

"Do you mean it? Can grandma go home in a couple of weeks?" she exclaimed.

"Absolutely, if she continues progressing the way she is now," Akabane said, "But I don't really like the looks of that man in there,"

"Oh, that's my cousin, Takeo. I wouldn't mind him, if I were you."

"Why not?"

"I'll tell you later." Kanna whispered. Akabane frowned and then heard the door to Sumika's room slam shut suddenly. "Ah," he said, "I see. An eavesdropper."

"Yeah. Well, I'll see you later, then at our usual hangout,"

"It's only been two days, Kanna. It's hardly usual." Akabane chuckled. Kanna just smiled and hurried back into Sumika's room. Akabane shook his head and continued on to his next patient.

//ooo//

"So tell me about Takeo," Akabane said later once he'd reached a break in his shift. He and Kanna walked along the path outside the hospital. Kanna shrugged. "He wants to marry me." she said plainly. Akabane frowned. "Really? Personally, I don't think he's right for you."

"I can tell that on my own. But why do you think that?" Kanna asked.

"He seems rather cold." Akabane pointed out.

"He is. He's always telling me things I'm doing wrong. I got chewed out for going to 'ask' you something earlier today."

"I see," Akabane mumbled. Kanna nodded. "He doesn't think I should socialize, pretty much. He's the kind who believes a woman's place is a homemaker."

"The old-fashioned man," he muttered, "What does your grandmother say?"

"She's all for the marriage if I agree to it. She doesn't like Takeo either, but she wants to keep my supposed talents fixed into our bloodline."

"Your art?"

Kanna hesitated before answering. "Not just that." she said. "There's some other things, too. Takeo can do the same thing I can. It's a special skill our family spent years developing. You asked about grandma being my biological family member. You were right; because of cystic fibrosis, while she managed to live a longer life than normal, she was unable to have children. My mother and her twin sister were adopted. Aunt Nozomi died suddenly, so grandma took Takeo in. When my parents were killed in a terrorist attack when I was twelve, Takeo and I began to learn our family secrets."

"Family secrets?" Akabane asked. Kanna glanced behind them and then at the windows. Then, she pulled something out of her pocket. It was a little piece of embroidery she'd been working on. She took the needle out and before he could stop her, jammed it into the palm of her hand. She winced and then pulled the needle out, sticking it back into the project and stashing it in her pocket. A bright bead of blood blossomed out of her skin.

"Kanna?" Akabane said, unsure.

"Relax. In order to use this technique, I need to be injured."

She clenched her fist tightly. Then, she raised her hand up. Akabane jumped back when three slender red rods shot up through her fingers. Kanna opened her palm. The blood still oozed out of the wound, but the rods remained. "This is the Miyazaki Blood Rod technique." she explained. "It's one power taught to us by our family. Grandma can do this as well. I can actually do a few other special techniques our family believed extinct in our line. I was born able to do them naturally, therefore, bringing them back into the line."

She let the rods dissipate, digressing back into blood in her hand. Akabane smiled. "That's very interesting. Maybe you could teach me sometime." he joked. "Actually, I'm teasing. I have a very good reason I don't need to learn."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"It's a secret. I'm not telling."

Kanna started laughing, unaware of the fact they were being watched from the third floor of the hospital.

//ooo//

Akabane went through his list of patients, mentally checking which ones he'd visited and which ones he still had to visit. His mind was somewhat preoccupied. The day before, Kanna had showed him a secret technique of her family. It was interesting, but a little unnerving.

He paused suddenly. He was sure he'd just heard something coming from the empty room across the hall. He frowned in suspicion when a sudden thudding noise caused the door to vibrate.

"_How dare you show him the Miyazaki secret technique?! You know that's forbidden!" _

_ "How dare you spy on me in the first place, Takeo! Ow, don't touch me! Let me go! Now!" _

_ "You'll be quiet, Kanna! You need to learn your place in this family!" _

_ "Let me go! Stop it! Let me go!" _

Akabane hurried over and flung the door open. "What's going on in here?" he shouted. Takeo froze in the movement of preparing to slap Kanna, whom he'd pinned against the wall. He blinked in surprise and then stepped back with a heavy sigh. He stalked forward and shoved past Akabane.

"Thanks," Kanna said, rubbing her bruised shoulder.

"What on earth was that all about?" Akabane demanded.

"He saw me show you the Blood Rod technique yesterday. He insists that it's forbidden to show outsiders. But if you consider that, how are we supposed to know it? We're not of the Miyazaki clan by blood. Besides, if I'd used my other abilities, I could have easily defeated him. But thanks anyway, Kuroudo."

He sighed and shook his head. "I knew I didn't like that boy," he muttered.

"Takeo takes it upon himself to uphold the Miyazaki honor, as he calls it. He's said that by someday marrying me, he can strengthen the bloodline. He knows all about my other powers."

"I'm becoming a little disturbed by him." Akabane muttered. "He treats you like an object."

"That's not the worst of it. He tells me that once I produce an heir, there will be no more use for me. Just being around him makes me ill. But he's my only remaining family, so I force myself."

Akabane scowled. "Kanna," he started to say but she cut him off with a smile. "Stop worrying. I don't intend on ever marrying that jerk. Grandma said that she'll totally support it only if I'm agreeable to it."

Akabane seemed doubtful, but gave up. "Just don't do anything reckless, Kanna," he said. "And remember, if you need help, you can come to me."

"Thanks," she said. "But I'm okay. I'm stronger than I look, you know."

"Yes, I know. But I'll still worry."

Kanna just smiled.

//ooo//

Outside, sitting on the ground by the gate, Takeo snapped at someone on his cell phone.

"Yeah, you heard me. That stupid cousin of mine showed off our secret technique."

"_So what do you want me to do about it, Takeo? Unlike you, we ain't got any special powers." _

"You won't need any. Just get all your guys together at Fukuyama Hospital in Hokkaido."

"_Wait, are you asking us to storm a hospital?! Dude, that ain't right." _

"You moron, I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying that no one who sees the secret art can live and this doctor is no exception. You hear me?"

"_Listen, Takeo, we'll do the job; I'm not saying we won't. But you're paying us double-no-triple for this. You hear me?" _

"Loud and clear." Takeo said with a grin. "So when do you think you could do it?"

"_All my boys live in different regions, now. It would take at least a month or so just to get them all assembled." _

"Use my assets to get them here as fast as you're able. I'll be waiting," Takeo growled.

A/N: I'm loving this story, so far. I just finished reading the manga and I finally found all the info I needed. Thanks to everyone without whom I couldn't have done it!


	7. Resulting Complications

A/N: Here it is, the next chapter!! I hope this chapter works out okay. This whole sequence kind of wrote itself, you know? For awhile, Takeo didn't even exist, and yet here he is in all his horrible glory. I hate him and love him at the same time, how weird is that?

Resulting Complications

Night fell, unnoticed as always. Both Kanna and the darkness found Akabane standing on the roof of the hospital watching the sun go down. He didn't seem to notice her approach, but didn't appear surprised when she paused beside him. "What are you doing up here?" she asked.

"Enjoying a few minutes of free time." he answered.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll go back downstairs," Kanna said.

"No, it's quite all right. I enjoy your company." he said, smiling.

"Well, in that case, I'll guess I'll stay." she replied. She stared out at the fading sunlight, the lights of the city flickering to life in the twilight. "It's very nice out at this time of day." she said.

"That it is."

A few days had passed since the incident with Takeo. So far, he hadn't caused much of a stir. In fact, Akabane rarely saw him at the hospital anymore. He was secretly glad of it. He recalled how angry he'd gotten when he saw Takeo about to slap Kanna. She hadn't done anything wrong in showing him some secret technique that was of no use to him, anyway.

"So, how is everything for you?" he asked.

"Same old. Takeo still declares he's going to marry me and grandma still wants her toast. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing," Akabane said.

"Really? Hm. I don't mean to." Kanna mumbled. "Maybe it's because I still can't stand what Takeo does and that grandma won't ever fully recover."

"Does your grandmother assist you in any way against Takeo?"

"Yes, for the most part. She stops him from 'punishing' me for supposedly misbehaving. That's one reason I'm so worried all the time. She's all I have. If she dies, I'll be left alone with that monster."

Akabane scowled and sighed. "Maybe not, Kanna." he said. "You're an adult, aren't you? You can decide what's best for yourself. Takeo should learn to accept that and move on."

"If I leave, he'll use his influence to bring me back."

"Influence?" Akabane exclaimed. He didn't like where this was going.

Kanna nodded. "He's friends with the leader of an immense gang. He never hangs out with them; he just pays them to do his dirty work. If someone gets in his way, he sics his gang on them. If I left somewhere, he'd send them after me to bring me back, no matter where I went."

Akabane turned sharply. "Kanna, this is getting ridiculous. This kid can't rule your life." he snapped.

"So what am I supposed to do?" she countered angrily. "When grandma dies, there won't be anything stopping him. My powers are great enough that he'll do anything to preserve them in the bloodline. The things I can do, the Miyazaki clan considered dead skills amongst its members. I'm not even blood-related, yet somehow, I was born with these unique abilities and instinctual knowledge of how to use them. Takeo wants these abilities and he knows that if I were to produce a full-blooded heir, these abilities would likely magnify and he could control them himself."

"So you have no choice, Kanna. You have to fight back."

She shook her head sadly. "I can't. I may hate him more than anything, but he's the only family I've got besides grandma."

Akabane sighed, watching her sadly. "You're very loyal, aren't you?"

"Yes. Maybe to a fault."

They fell silent, watching the last faint rays disappearing over the horizon. For the moment, everything was peaceful and quiet. It wasn't one of those uncomfortable silences where you felt like you had to say something. Nothing really needed to be said. It was truly quiet and serene during the last few hours of day. Surely it couldn't last.

The door to the roof flew open with a bang, drawing both of their attentions. One of the nurses stood there, gasping for air and struggling to form words. "Dr...Akabane, it's...Sumika Miyazaki!" she exclaimed.

Kanna felt her heart skip a beat.

Sumika Miyazaki wasn't breathing and her heart wasn't beating. The minute Akabane saw the yellowish color of her skin, his heart sank.

"Get a respirator and IV in here now!" he yelled.

Kanna stood up against the wall, shaking her head as she watched Akabane, another doctor and several nurses attempt to revive Sumika. She caught a few words here and there, mixed in with various medical jargon. She pieced it together and realized that while Sumika's lungs had survived intact, her liver was failing on her. She was dying.

The world blazed by in a haze, colors and shapes morphing and twisting into different patterns Kanna hadn't even known existed. As she felt herself sinking to the floor, she heard someone calling her name, but couldn't be sure who it was or even what the voice sounded like. Slowly, her world crumbled into a silent, black tomb and she became dead to the world.

//ooo//

Time passes slowly when you're bored, but quickly during fun times and stressful times. The days following Sumika's funeral were a blur to Kanna. She locked herself in her room constantly, barely eating, barely even allowing light inside. Once Sumika had gone, the lawyer had determined in her will that everything be left to Takeo and then to Kanna if anything should happen to Takeo. This included Kanna's care, whether she was a legal adult or not. Her greatest fears had been realized; she was now at the mercy of her monstrous cousin. This was partly the reason she kept her door locked.

Akabane knew what was going on. Takeo came in every day feigning worry and asking what he could do to get Kanna out of her room. Akabane could see it in his eyes that he was hardly innocent in this whole matter regarding her immense state of fear. This was why he'd planned for a leave of work for two days to try to resolve the matter. Today was the first day and he was determined to make a difference. He already knew the address because before Sumika's surgery, it was planned to have her treated at home with a round-the-clock nurse on standby. He kept running through his plan as he took the elevator up to the top floor. He'd first try to get Kanna to open the door without her cousin there. Knowing that this was probably going to be the most difficult part given her delicate psyche, he figured he'd cross the next bridge when he came to it and that was helping her, somehow.

Takeo answered the door with a scowl on his face, hardly expecting Akabane to be there. He grudgingly allowed him inside. "Don't get your hopes up," he sneered, "She's been acting like a baby since she came home."

"I'd hardly call her current state of mind infantile, Takeo," Akabane growled, "Given that she just lost her only protection from you, I don't blame her in the slightest."

Takeo crossed his arms. "What kinda lies has she been spouting about me?" he demanded to know. But Akabane pretended not to hear him and crossed down the hallway to the closed and locked room Kanna occupied. He could hear her crying inside. He knocked once.

"_Go away, Takeo, just go away! Please, just leave me alone!" _

Akabane frowned. She sounded on the verge of panic. He wondered just what Takeo had been threatening her with to get her to come out.

"Kanna? It's Kuroudo," he said quietly. She fell silent.

"_Kuroudo?" _

"Open the door, Kanna. I only want to speak to you."

She opened the door almost immediately and the second she did, Takeo smirked and started over. Akabane threw him a venomous glare, warning him to stay back. For once, Takeo did the smart thing and hung back in the front room, snarling. Akabane went inside and closed the door behind him, locking it. The room was pitch black except for the slits of light filtering in through the blinds. He barely made it a foot inside before Kanna suddenly threw her arms around him, sobbing hysterically. "Please," she said shakily, barely controlling her voice, "Get me out of here!"

They slid to the floor; he tried to calm her down, but she was so close to pure panic that he figured she'd hyperventilate and pass out before she was able to settle completely. He pulled her close and just held her as she vented out her fear and anxiety.

"P-Please," she stammered, "Get me out of this place, please!"

"I will, Kanna. Damn it, what has he done to you?"

"Mireille! He's going to burn Mireille!" she exclaimed as quietly as she could. Akabane frowned. "Who's Mireille?"

" Grandma's paintings, he's going to burn them!" she cried.

"Settle down, Kanna, I won't let him," Akabane told her gently. She gasped suddenly when Takeo pounded furiously on the door.

"_Damn it, what's taking you so long? Get her out of that stupid room now!" _

Kanna started quivering again and buried her face in his shirt. "Kuroudo, please!" she begged. Akabane scowled. "You'll just have to wait, Takeo," he said calmly. "She's a tad upset right at the moment,"

He helped her to her feet and whispered to pack a bag. In the faint light from the window, her eyes lit up, but her face was strangely darker than before. He didn't linger to figure it out, however. Kanna took a case out from under her bed and quickly began to pack it, so anxious that she dropped several items before actually getting them inside. Akabane unlocked the door and held it firmly in place when Takeo slammed into it and attempted to throw it open. "So?" he snapped, "What's the big-hey! What the hell does she think she's doing?"

He reached over on the wall and flicked on the light. Here, Akabane got a good look at her face _and_ her arms. They were absolutely covered in bruises. He hadn't been sure about taking Kanna away before but now he knew he had no choice. This wasn't just verbal abuse anymore, this was downright cruelty.

"Kannaya, put that suitcase away, now!" Takeo yelled, struggling to get inside. Akabane lashed out and grabbed his wrist, giving it a quick but painful wrench. Takeo staggered back, hissing and grunting in pain. "You creep! How dare you do that to me?"

"Be quiet, already. What I just did is menial compared to what you've done to Kanna."

"She kept disobeying my orders. She was getting out of line!" Takeo growled as Kanna shut her case and hugged it close, staring at Takeo in pure fear and hatred.

"I believe you're the one who's getting out of line," Akabane said, "Therefore, with the obvious damage you've done to her on the outside, I find substantial enough proof of abuse. Under the Montgomery law passed in 1978, as a surgeon and or doctor treating this type of wound, I am given authority to judge whether or not this is a case of mild to severe abuse and act according to what would most benefit the victim. In other words, Kanna is coming with me and you are powerless to do a thing about it."

He motioned for Kanna to come out and stood between her and her fuming cousin as she hurried toward the door. Takeo growled furiously, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about but I'll take this to court!" he yelled. Akabane smiled and nodded.

"I look forward to my victory, then," he said as he left.

On the elevator ride down, Kanna glanced at him. "Um, Kuroudo?"

"Yes?"

"What exactly was the Montgomery law?"

Akabane chuckled. "I have absolutely no idea." he said. Kanna smiled and started laughing. "You mean that you made that whole rant up on the spot!?" she exclaimed.

"It was the only thing I could think of. I was counting on the fact that your cousin doesn't understand law at all."

"You're right; he doesn't. Not by a long shot."

"Good. In the meantime though, you really are going to need an examination, Kanna. You look horrible on the outside, yes, but there's no telling what he did to your internal organs."

"I feel okay, though,"

"I merely want to be sure. I'm taking you back to the hospital, first." Akabane said when they reached the ground floor.

"The paintings!" Kanna gasped suddenly.

"Don't worry," Akabane told her. "He'll gain nothing by destroying them. If he goes through with it, he knows you'll never come back again."

Kanna relaxed a bit and glanced up at the window far above her. "I guess you're right," she said.

//ooo//

At the hospital, it was determined that Kanna's bruises weren't substantial and would clear up in two or three days. This was an immense relief for Akabane as he sat with her in the empty lobby. She was busy putting on some coverup to hide them slightly.

"Normally, I never wear makeup," she said, "But I will go for coverup for things like this, obviously."

She sighed and stared at the floor. "I just hate to think of what would happen if he burned the paintings."

"You said they were called, 'Mireille', is that right?"

"Yeah. Mireille was my mom's name. Grandma immortalized her as a winged girl who transcends time in a series of paintings over the past four years. I often helped her with them, so I love those paintings just as much as she did. I don't know what I'd do if Takeo destroyed them."

"Nothing will happen to them, Kanna."

"You sound sure enough," Kanna muttered, "I guess I can believe you. But now what? Takeo isn't someone to be trifled with. I can't go back, but I can't easily escape him, either."

"There's one solution," Akabane said.

"Yeah? Humor me," Kanna grumbled. He smiled. "You'll either stay with me or at the hospital. Either way, someone will always be able to keep a watchful eye out for you."

Kanna just stared at him in shock. "But-but how-?"

Akabane stood up. "In fact, lets' go speak to the director, now. We should explain the situation."

Kanna wasn't so sure, especially when they arrived in the director's office. This man didn't seem like the kind who'd accept anyone's story, no matter what it was. He scowled when he saw Kanna standing behind Akabane.

"Dr. Akabane, what's the meaning of this?" he growled.

"Forgive the intrusion, director Arakawa, but we have a slight dilemma here concerning the granddaughter of our former patient, Sumika Miyazaki,"

Arakawa frowned when Akabane gave Kanna a gentle push forward. She bowed respectfully. "My apologies, sir," she said.

"So, this was the famous Miyazaki granddaughter," Arakawa muttered ponderously.

"Um," Kanna said, but the director waved her off. "Never mind. What do you want?"

"If I may," Akabane said, "We'd like permission for her to remain in the hospital boundaries. There's a bit of a problem with her cousin."

"Absolutely not," Arakawa growled. Akabane frowned. "Why, exactly?"

"Is she ill or dying? No. Hospitals are for people who actually need their help. If you want protection, go to the police. That isn't what we're here for."

"Kanna, show him your arms," Akabane said. She hadn't finished covering up the bruises on her arms yet. She hesitated and then pushed her sleeves back, revealing the purple and black blotches dotting her skin. Arakawa raised an eyebrow.

"What the devil?" he exclaimed. "What happened to her?"

"This is the problem with her cousin," Akabane said, "Up until the assistance of coverup was applied, her face was the same way. I'm afraid we're dealing with an advanced superiority complex on his part and I removed her from the situation once I saw her in this state."

Arakawa studied Kanna carefully, scratching his chin. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we just can't house her here," he said, "We have no way of knowing what kinds of cases will arrive in this place and we can't chance it. I'll permit her to remain here during the day only as a visitor but she must leave after visiting hours are over. From there, it's up to you."

Akabane nodded gravely. "Thank you, director," he said. He turned to Kanna. "Lets' go," he said quietly. Kanna followed him out, feeling a little too much like a zombie. Sure, she could now spend her days safely in the hospital, but nights were another matter.

"There's one thing to do."

"Huh?" Kanna said numbly.

"I have a guest room at my place. You can use that until this clears over,"

Kanna stared up at him. She sighed. "You know you're just setting yourself up for trouble, right?" she said.

"So?" he said with a shrug. "Who's to say I don't have a dark side?"

Kanna had to smile at that. "Okay, thanks," she said. "But I feel terrible. I'm dragging you into all of this. Who knows where it'll end up."

"If I cared, I wouldn't have gotten involved," Akabane told her. Kanna sighed. "You sure are stubborn," she said, "And I couldn't be happier about it."

Akabane smiled and stood up. "Well, seeing as I have today and tomorrow off, how about we go and get you situated?"

Kanna frowned. "You took today and tomorrow off? Why?"

"Because I wanted to help you, that's why. Now lets' go, then."

He pulled her to her feet and smiled. Kanna blinked in surprise, but followed him out without a word.

The drive there was somewhat quiet. Kanna just played with the fabric of her skirt and didn't say much. She still missed Sumika so much. One minute she was with her and the next, she was gone forever. She wasn't sure where she'd be if she didn't have Akabane.

"Um," she said.

"Yes?"

"So uh, what part of town do you live in?"

"The west district. I've lived there since college. It's nicer up here; less noise."

"Noise? But you're around noise twenty-four seven at the hospital." Kanna said.

"Different kind of noise." he answered.

He pulled up outside an old brick apartment building. He grinned. "I know it looks weird from the outside. They're in the middle of refurbishing the brick layers. The inside is much better." he said.

"It's fine. It looks cool," Kanna said.

Inside the front lobby, there was no signs of life anywhere. The place might as well have been dead. Kanna shivered and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying, Kanna. This place is perfectly safe. The doors only open to a key card used by a tenant here, so no one can get in unless permission is granted."

Kanna smiled, slightly reassured.

The elevator ride up was uneventful and Kanna cast occasional glances at him. He was reading a notice on the wall and didn't see it.

"Fourth floor, final stop," he said. He made his way down the hall and paused at the last door down. But he scowled when he searched through his different keys for the right one. "Damn it, I can never remember which one it is the first time, not since the landlord changed out the locks." he grumbled. Kanna giggled.

Finally, he found the right one and opened the door up, heading inside. "Just put your case by the door, Kanna." he said. Kanna stepped inside carefully. She wasn't sure what she was expecting a surgeon's home to look like. But surprisingly, it reminded her of Sumika's home. Akabane shared a similar taste in artwork.

He came back around the corner and found her inspecting a painting on the wall. He came up beside her and looked over the painting. "Edgar Degas," he said, "A fine painter and sculptor in his own right. He was fascinated with the human body, explaining many of his paintings featuring dancers."

"He was grandma's favorite," Kanna said. "I prefer Monet's work, though. His subtle style and trademark 'misty' look is so relaxing."

"I quite agree. I wish that I could obtain a real painting, but unfortunately, copies are all I'll ever find. They serve the purpose, though." He smiled at her. "Let me show you to your room," he said.

The entire living area and the guest room he spoke of were sparsely decorated Western style, but attractive in their own ways. Against the wall in the guest room by the closet sat a small writing desk and chair. Across from that was a dresser beside a four-poster bed. Kanna wandered over to the window and looked out. Her eyes widened. "You can see the mountains from here," she exclaimed.

"That's part of the reason I enjoy Hokkaido so much," Akabane said, leaning against the door frame.

"I know what you mean." Kanna answered. She turned, smiling. "I can't thank you enough for helping me. But I wish I could do something in return."

"I want nothing in exchange, Kanna. Having someone around to talk to is more than enough."

Kanna frowned. "It just occurred to me." she said, "I never notice you really talk to anyone at the hospital, other than when you absolutely have to."

"Like I said, Kanna, I'm not overly popular at the hospital due to my age compared to my skill level. I have an old friend from college working in America, but obviously, we don't see each other that often."

They fell silent. Kanna just stared at him as he appeared lost in his own head.

"Kuroudo?" she said.

"Hm?"

"You're...you're lonely, aren't you?"

For a split second, his eyes lost their usual amused glimmer and he glanced away. Without a word, he left and headed into the next room. Kanna stared after him, wondering if she'd said something wrong. God, she hoped not. The last thing she wanted was to say something stupid and make him not like her anymore.

She left the room and found him sitting on the sofa, reading a book. He glanced up as she approached and turned a page.

"Hey," she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't. But...."

"But what?"

He sighed and flipped back to the previous page. "Sometimes the truth is the last thing you want to hear."

Kanna stared down at the floor as a heavy silence fell between them.

A/N: I'm seeing similarities to my other story, Of Promises and Perseverance. Maybe I should go back to work on it. 0_o But I can't just let this one go. I'll try to do both at the same time and see where I get.


	8. Unspoken Things

A/N: This one is a little shorter than usual. I keep stressing that Akabane is out of character here because this is BEFORE he went nuts. Rather than huge, action-y sequences, this is more of a character development story. That sort of thing. So please, don't kill me!

Unspoken Things

Time passes as usual. After about a month, Kanna soon developed a new routine while staying with Akabane. He always woke up around three in the morning and soon had her on a similar sleep schedule. Kanna began setting her alarm for the same time to save him the trouble of waking her. She was also grateful the guest room had its own bathroom; this way she could wash her clothes in the sink and dry them over the tub. When he found out about this, however, he got a little irritated, saying she didn't need to do that. In the mornings before they left for the hospital, they chatted for about an hour or so over tea on random little things that piqued their various interests. Kanna, however, kept worrying that people would get the wrong idea when they found out she was staying with him. He told her that it was fine; they could think whatever they wanted. They both knew that she was staying with him for protection against Takeo. Takeo had recently called the police to get Kanna back. But he'd overlooked a few details which Akabane had been only too happy to point out. One, she was a legal adult and if she was content where she was, the police couldn't do a thing about it. Two, Sumika's will had stated that as long as she remained under the Miyazaki's roof, she was to be cared for by Takeo. It never said anything about having to stay there. Thanks to some oversights by Takeo, Kanna was relatively safe where she was. She continued to worry that she'd offend Akabane somehow by saying the wrong thing. This made her melancholic on occasion.

Kanna's melancholy caused Akabane to worry a little. He kept wondering if he'd done something to upset her. The last few weeks she'd been staying with him had been some of the best he'd known. He could talk to her about anything. But he kept getting the feeling that something was different.

Every day, Akabane went to work in the hospital while Kanna either waited in the lobby or volunteered to help whenever anyone needed it. She had an astounding ability to sit for hours doing absolutely nothing and not get bored. Akabane found he was extremely envious of this. He was lucky to go twenty minutes doing nothing without getting bored. However, he'd developed an odd habit of just watching her gaze at the floor, waiting patiently for him to finish his work for the day, or for however extra long it took. She never noticed, but someone else did

"Hello, Dr. Akabane,"

He turned. It was a relatively new intern to the hospital, Sanae Suzuhara. She had short black hair and was surprisingly small for her age. She also claimed to be a medium, one who could channel spiritual energy into her body. Although he had yet to see her provide some proof of this, Akabane felt inclined to believe her. There was something rather off about this girl, that much was certain.

"Hello, Ms. Sanae," he said, "Usually you're in the maternity ward. What brings you down here?"

"Simple. I saw you staring, again," she teased. Honestly, she was like an annoying little sister.

"Oh really?" he said.

"Yup. The rumor is that you're living with someone now,"

"Well, that's partially true. She was in a bit of trouble, so I helped her out."

Sanae nodded disbelievingly. "Uh-huh. You like her, don't you?" she said. Akabane sighed. "Ms. Sanae, I heard that Ms. Yoshida was looking for you. I'd suggest going and seeing what she wants."

Sanae squeaked and covered her mouth. "Yike! Isn't she the one who makes you re-tar the roof if you're caught goofing off?" she exclaimed.

"So I understand," Akabane smirked. Sanae took off down the hallway, screaming. He chuckled. "I'll probably get into some trouble for that." he muttered. He glanced back at Kanna one last time and then turned, heading off to finish his rounds.

//ooo//

Evening fell before they knew it. Akabane had to be ready in two days for a scheduled operation. A possibly malevolent tumor had to be removed from a small girl's right chest cavity. It was fine now, but the signs all promised danger in the near-future. Better safe than sorry.

He finished talking with the girl's parents as they sat with their daughter in the hospital room. They'd checked her in early because for some reason, the child was unable to relax at home and was prone to severe panic attacks whenever she thought of the surgery. Being at the hospital seemed to calm her down. Perhaps it was the fact that help was at hand if necessary.

"Do whatever you need to keep her relatively calm," Akabane warned, "But in all truth, there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of."

The mother smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks," she said, "We'll just keep praying for the best, then,"

"Well then, good night," Akabane said. The parents bowed and turned to their daughter. She was sitting up in bed clutching a big teddy bear. Her mother sat down beside her and her father turned on the television, putting on a favorite video for his daughter.

Akabane sighed and headed for the lobby. Today's regular shift had been longer than usual, not counting how many hours he'd have to be on call in an emergency. His day time agenda ended at seven, but he was on call twenty-four hours a day for the most part.

He found Kanna sitting in the far end of the lobby, staring down at the floor. Watching her pass the time so passively made him think she put herself into a semi-comatose state. It was weird. She looked up as he approached. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah."

The drive back was quiet and Kanna noticed. "Are you okay? You seem deep in thought."

"I have a surgery to prepare for in two days. I'm confidant of my skills, but I always get a little on edge right before the big moment.

"Really?"

"Yes. I almost become too tense to work sometimes."

Kanna gazed down at her hands. "I kind of understand," she said, "I felt the same way with grandma. When she took me in, she was old and frail, but very lively. I knew that someday, I'd lose her and I did. I was always afraid that if I lost her, I'd be all alone."

"Well, you aren't," Akabane said, smiling.

"Yup. I'm not, and neither are you," she said. He sighed. "Bringing that up again, are you?"

"I can't help it, Kuroudo, you just seemed lonely to me."

"Kanna-"

"You can say what you want, but in any case it doesn't really matter, does it? You aren't anymore and that's what counts."

Akabane smiled and shook his head. "You are one weird girl, Kanna."

"And you are one weird man, Kuroudo. We're even."

"I'm not so sure about that."

Kanna just grinned.

//ooo//

That evening, Kanna found him sitting out on the deck in the dead of winter. He was so lost in thought that he never even noticed as she pulled up another chair and sat down beside him. He actually jumped when she said his name and whirled. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" he exclaimed.

"Who's sneaking? I dragged this chair over, made a ton of noise and you never even heard me," Kanna said. He sighed. "Sorry."

"It's fine; you're just anxious, huh?"

"In a nutshell."

Kanna smiled. "You told me yourself that you're confidant of your skills. You're the best surgeon in the hospital and you're only twenty-six. That's a huge achievement."

Akabane just frowned. "That doesn't make it any easier." he said.

"No, but it's nothing to worry about."

"I already knew that, Kanna." he mumbled. "What are you doing out here? It's late."

"It's only nine. I came out here to keep you company." Kanna answered. "It's nice out. A little chilly, but nice."

"Hm," he said. Kanna pulled her arms into the inside of her jacket and sighed. "You know, everything feels right for a change,"

"What do you mean?" Akabane asked.

"Even during the time I lived with grandma, Takeo always made me feel uneasy. He was always like that; even when we were kids. Ever since I can remember, he's said that one day, he was going to marry me. At first, it struck me as a joke and I never delved much into it. But as we both got older, it got worse."

"How so?"

"We attended high school together. Would you believe I've never been on a single date in my entire life or even really had a best friend? I'm twenty-one years old. Takeo chased away all boys and sometimes, even girls. He sent one poor boy into intensive care, once. All he did was walk me home after I stayed late to finish a project. He was only being considerate. But Takeo didn't take it that way. That boy lived and I secretly sent him a letter apologizing profusely for Takeo's behavior. But every day was a living hell with him. Grandma never did anything to stop him and Takeo became more and more possessive, even going so far as to destroy my belongings whenever I so much as breathed the wrong way."

Kanna shook her head. "What am I doing? You're doing all of this to protect me and here I go ranting about things that have nothing to do with anything anymore."

"Kanna, your cousin suffers from a form of superiority complex. It isn't fully fledged as the actual condition, but a few of the signs add up. He believes that you and he are better than everyone else and is overly dominating. I'm not really sure where this would fall, but I've been thinking about it."

"I just don't want to do anything against him. He's the only family I have, now." Kanna muttered.

"So then, considering that, what would you do if he did something unforgivable?" Akabane asked. Kanna stared up at him. "I...I don't know. I can't imagine what he'd do."

They both fell silent. To his surprise, Kanna moved her chair closer and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Well," she said, "If that should happen, I suppose I'd make a decision then and act on it accordingly."

Silence again ensued. Akabane found he greatly enjoyed these moments that occasionally passed between them. It was very soothing.

"Kanna," he said quietly. "May I entrust you with a secret?"

"Of course," Kanna replied.

"These last few weeks you've been here have actually been some of the best in my life."

Kanna looked up at him strangely. "You're exaggerating." she said.

"No, I'm really not. I can tell you anything and I know you'll listen."

"Well," Kanna mumbled, "You've probably already figured out what it's been like for me these past few weeks."

"Kanna, did I do something to upset you?" He asked concernedly.

"No, no, you didn't do anything. You've been so nice to me. I just wish that I could do something for you."

He smiled slightly. "You already have to some extent," he said.

"Yeah? I wish I knew what it was," Kanna mumbled. "But if I've been acting weird, it's not your fault. But, I do have a question,"

"Hm?"

"Why do you spend so much time worrying about me?"

He considered this. Why _did_ he worry about her so much? He looked down at her and smiled. "I suppose it's because it's what I enjoy most at the moment." he said.

"Well then, it's a good thing I'm here. After all, you need someone to worry about you, too." Kanna replied.

"What?"

"I'm always worrying about you, you know," Kanna mumbled. "I worry that you'll overwork yourself. I worry that something will happen that changes everything. I worry that Takeo will do something. I worry that I'll do something so stupid that I'll offend you and you'll...,"

"I'll what?"

"...Leave me," she finished quietly. Akabane's eyes widened in understanding. He sat up slightly and met her gaze seriously, "Is that it?" he asked, "Is that why you've seemed so bothered?"

Kanna looked away, seemingly either embarrassed or searching for some kind of an answer. Finally, she could only nod. He sighed and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Kanna, I'm a doctor, for goodness sake. It's very hard to offend me."

"I still worry about it," Kanna said.

"Well stop. I promise, I won't leave you."

Kanna smiled and snuggled up against him. "That's good. I guess this means you won't be rid of me so easily,"

He chuckled. "I hadn't planned on it in the first place. I guess we're stuck with each other."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Kanna answered.

The world often works in a strange ways. If there was a god, he had a weird sense of being. By drawing two seemingly separate souls together, he'd managed to tweak the rules of simple friendship. Without the two of them ever really noticing, their strange, but real friendship had taken a new turn into something else entirely. Both knew in their hearts that they would effectively do anything for the other one. Both also knew the risks involved in taking this step to a new emotional plane.

"Kanna," he said ponderously, "May I ask you a question?"

"You can ask me anything as long it's not about my weight or body measurements," she said. He chuckled and then grew thoughtful.

"Kanna, listen...," he muttered.

"I am. What's wrong?" she asked. He frowned and stared outwards, away from her gaze.

"In simple consideration, wouldn't it be interesting if when we woke up tomorrow morning, we could...say that we had become a couple?"

Kanna turned to look at him curiously. "Are you...?" she said. He was staring out at the horizon. He appeared a little vexed. Kanna frowned. "Kuroudo, are you, uh, well, asking me out?" she asked.

"Well...Yes." he said carefully. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Kanna, what do you say?"

"It's sudden. I don't know what to say," she said quietly.

"My apologies, Kanna,"

"No, no! Don't apologize! But I never answered your question properly." she said. He glanced over at her, surprised. She smiled. "Yes, it certainly would be interesting."

"Well then, I look forward to spending time with you." he said.

"Same here," Kanna replied. She leaned against him with a sigh. "But for now, is it okay if we just stayed like this a little while longer?"

"Of course," he murmured. It had been slightly awkward, but he figured that both of them had known something had changed in the past few weeks. He knew that he would do anything if it meant protecting her. He supposed the most difficult step of actually admitting it aloud had been taken. But would things be any different at all? He sure hoped not. For the moment, he opted to rest his head against Kanna's, close his eyes and just enjoy this breach in an ordinarily hectic life. He couldn't help but wonder if it was all right that he felt this happy?

A/N: I hope that was cute. I poured as much as I could into both keeping character and trying to make it believable. I hope it works!!! Yay!!


	9. Special Occasion

A/N: So sorry for the long wait. I'm not crazy into Hellsing and have been working on stories for it. But I'll start updating this one more frequently now that I've finally remembered to. ^_^

Special Occasion

Akabane spent the next week completing his work at the hospital, lost in thought. He'd never been in a serious relationship before, so what was going on now was completely new for him. But strangely enough, it wasn't a difficult transition. Something told him that this was going to work; he sometimes had a difficult time concentrating. But now, he didn't have too much to worry about. The surgery before had gone perfectly and the little girl had recovered remarkably quickly. She was scheduled to return home that afternoon.

He passed the lobby, flipping through the papers on his clipboard. Most of them were progress reports on his various patients. As he continued on, he glanced at Kanna sitting in the lobby, apparently dozing. He was sure he'd never figure out how she could wait so patiently.

"Hey!"

He glanced up and sighed irritably. It was Sanae, standing in the entrance of a utility closet down the hall. She was motioning him over. He shook his head and decided to humor her.

"All right, what is it?" he asked.

"Come here!" she hissed. "I need to show you something!"

"Ms. Sanae, this better be-woah!" he yelled as she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the closet, slamming the door shut. It was a tight fit with all of the cleaning supplies stuffed inside. Akabane shoved what he believed was the vacuum cleaner aside and glared at Sanae, sandwiched between a stack of unopened paper towels and a box of new laundry detergent.

"Ms. Sanae, may I ask why on earth you dragged me into a utility closet?" he growled, mumbling to himself when a new tissue box dropped down on his head.

"Ssh! Do you want to get us caught?"

"You do realize this flimsy wooden door isn't going to muffle our voices, right?"

"I said ssh! Listen, do you know what day it is in two days?"

"March 14th?"

"Precisely! And do you know what that day is? And don't be a smart-ass and say it's Thursday because _I know it's Thursday!" _

"To put it precisely, isn't that White Day?"

"Exactly! You're not as dumb as you look," Sanae said with a smile. Akabane scowled. "Much obliged," he growled. "You said you wanted to show me something,"

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed. She dug through her pocket in the limited space and pulled out a silver chain with a white gold heart attached to the end of it. She held it up, grinning.

"Takeshi gave me this!" she squealed. "Sure, sure, he gave it to me two days early, but still, the gesture was there. He's such a sweetie!" she gushed, rubbing the pendant against her cheek. Akabane sighed. "You dragged me out of a busy schedule for this, huh?" he mumbled. He flung open the door and stepped out, glaring at Sanae. "Return to your rotation, Sanae. Be glad I don't report this to Ms. Yoshida."

Sanae's hands flew to her mouth in horror. "You wouldn't!" she exclaimed. "You traitor!"

He chuckled. "I have no idea what you're talking about. However, if you fail to disappear in the next five seconds, I may start to understand what you mean."

He could have sworn a sonic boom tore through the hospital when she ran away from him, screaming. But as he continued down the hallway (in the opposite direction, thankfully) he started to think. White Day. He'd never had a reason to notice it before. At least, not until now, anyway. The general idea was for a man to give something, preferably white, to the woman he loved on that day. Now that he and Kanna were dating, he began to wonder what he should give to her.

He was jolted from his thoughts at the sound of intercom summoning him to the front office for a phone call. He groaned. The only person who ever called him was Andrew. He made his way to the front to take the call. The minute he was put through, he regretted it.

"_Kuroudo! It's been ages! How are you?" _

"I've been better. What do you want?"

"_I called to tell you I'm coming out in a week or so. I'm going to be visiting my pen-pal up there who begged me to come out for a big family reunion they're putting on. I was wondering if I could drop by and see you." _

"I suppose that would be fine." Akabane said, chewing on the idea of whether or not he should mention Kanna. That's when he got a sudden glimmer of an idea, though it was a long shot.

"Andrew, I've got a question for you," he said.

"_Shoot." _

"Do you have any suggestions for a gift for someone?"

"_A gift? Well, I need more details, Kuroudo. First off, is the person a guy or a girl? Second off, what's the occasion?" _

Akabane frowned and rubbed his eyes wearily. "Never mind, Andrew." he groaned.

"_What? What's wrong? Oh my god! It's a girl, isn't it? Don't tell me you've gone and started dating someone without even telling me!? Is she cute or-" _

Akabane hung up, staring into space. Boy, had _that _been a stupid move. Usually he was smarter than that. He stood up and glanced over at the clock. Just two more hours until the end of his shift. The next two days he had off from both his rotation and call thanks to so many extra hours he'd put in. He knew Kanna would enjoy that as well because she'd accompanied him for every single hour, no matter how late or early it was. She'd been looking a little listless from lack of proper rest. He was used to it, so it didn't bother him as much.

True to form, once his shift ended, he found her fast asleep upright in one of the lobby chairs. He gently shook her awake. Her eyes opened slowly and she gazed up at him blearily. "Kuroudo? Is it time to go already? How long was I asleep?"

"Probably four hours," he said. "You'll be glad to know I've got tomorrow and the day after off completely."

"Really? What do you plan on doing?" Kanna asked, getting to her feet.

"I intend to let you sleep as long as you need to for starters," he said, smiling. She scowled and stifled a yawn, "Don't be ridiculous; I'm not that tired," she mumbled.

"Kanna, don't argue." he said.

"Fine, fine."

//ooo//

He'd been right of course. Kanna was wiped out. She went straight to bed when they got back. He figured she'd probably sleep for several hours. He changed into his street clothes consisting of a pair of black work pants and a plain jacket over his shirt. He wasn't one for style; he just picked out whatever matched. He decided to risk going out by himself for a bit. He wanted to look around town. He left a note for Kanna saying where he was going and left quietly.

Hokkaido was a rather lively town, but small enough for his liking. He wasn't fond of large cities; they were too noisy. But this place held a small variety of places for passerby and locals. He was interested in the shopping district. Here, he hoped to find something for Kanna for White Day. But he had no idea what to even get. He wasn't completely sure of everything she liked just yet. He opted to scan the windows of each store, figuring that if all else failed, maybe he'd get some kind of sign pointing to one object in particular. Or not.

He sighed and continued on, feeling somewhat hopeless.

One hour passed. Nothing. He sat on a bench by the bus stop and thought. So far, the closest thing he'd found to what might be right was a white angel figurine. But somehow, that didn't seem right. He wanted it to be simple, but symbolizing. But he had no idea where on earth to go with that. He'd scanned the windows of nearly every store on this street and didn't have a clue so far.

He looked up at the sky. It was getting dark. He decided to head back and think on it some more before making a decision. After all, it was still two days away.

Back home, he sighed, unlocked the door and froze. There was that distinct smell of smoke. He frowned when he realized that the smoke was coming from inside! He flung the door open and was instantly met by a thick black cloud of smoke floating all through the rooms. He coughed and fanned the smoke away, making his way toward the source. He heard Kanna banging around in the kitchen and then yell suddenly as something big and heavy fell to the floor with a thud.

"Kanna!" he exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen. He found Kanna coughing violently while using a towel to fan the smoke out of her face. There was a metal pot rolling on the floor through a large pool of water spreading rapidly to the carpet. Kanna herself looked a mess, covered in black smoke and soot from the ventilator. She sighed and stared around at the disaster, unaware of his presence. He cleared his throat and she jumped a mile, eyes wide in horror. She looked so petrified that he was sure she was going to have a breakdown any second. Instead, she just stared at her hands like she'd just been caught in the middle of a crime.

"Kanna?" he said, "What exactly happened here?"

"I'm really sorry, Kuroudo," she muttered, "I wanted to surprise you with one of grandma's old recipes, but I screwed something up and well...."

She trailed off, gazing around sadly at the mess. Akabane studied the crinkly, black something-or-other fizzling out in a pan on the stove. It had clearly caught fire and she'd doused it with water. He stared over at the table where she'd managed to get a perfect-looking salad set up. Then, he turned his gaze to Kanna, who looked about ready to burst into tears. She had a bitter look on her face as she poked the unrecognizable lump of charcoal in the pan. It made a slight _crunch_ing sound.

"I'm sorry about this," she mumbled, "I'll have it cleaned up in a minute."

Right there, she looked so sad and dejected that he couldn't bring himself to even be slightly mad at the mess, not that the word was strong enough for the chaos she'd created in his absence. He could see that once she was sure he wasn't looking, she'd probably start crying. He sighed, made his way over and pulled her into his arms. She blinked in surprise as he actually chuckled and shook his head. "Kanna, you are truly one-of-a-kind," he said.

"Huh? But, you're not mad?"

"Honestly, why would I be?" he said, pulling away with a smile. Kanna stared at him in shock and gestured to the chaos behind her. "Kuroudo, I destroyed the kitchen!" she exclaimed.

"Kanna, believe me when I say I've seen worse. You really should see Sanae in the hospital kitchen." he said, moving aside to attempt to figure out what the burned lump on the stove was supposed to be.

"Sanae?" Kanna asked.

"An intern at the hospital. Ms. Yoshida, our staff manager, put her in charge of cooking for the visitors while the regular cook was out of town. She gave three people food poisoning and blew the oven door off its hinges. And that was just the breakfast rush." he said, chuckling.

"Oh," Kanna said.

"Besides, this is simply a matter of cleaning up a tad. I'll help you straighten this out and then we'll go out to eat somewhere," he said with a smile. Kanna's shoulders sagged as she thought it over and she sighed. "Okay," she said. Akabane nodded. "It's settled, then. Now, I do have one question."

"What?"

He pointed to the pan. "What exactly is that supposed to be?"

"You know what, it doesn't matter. I don't even remember what it was, now." Kanna said sheepishly.

It took about a half-hour to get all the water mopped up and the kitchen aired out, but once it was finished, Kanna saw that he was right. It was just a matter of cleaning up. It wasn't as bad as she'd thought.

"Well, that was interesting," Akabane said. "Now, why don't you go change and we can decide where to go?"

"Okay," she said.

Kanna changed into her black skirt that reached her knees and a white blouse. She put a light coat on just in case and flipped her hair out from inside it. Then she stuck her smoky clothing in the sink to soak. She found him waiting outside by the door. He nodded politely, "You look quite beautiful tonight, my dear," he said.

"Thank you." Kanna said. "Where are we going?"

"Not sure. Where do you want to go?"

"It doesn't matter," Kanna said, smiling sheepishly. "After all, we wouldn't be going anywhere if I hadn't messed up that recipe."

"That's true. In that case, why don't we just allow fate to take over?"

"Sounds good," Kanna answered.

//ooo//

Kanna seemed melancholic yet again, even after they left the restaurant later that evening. He was growing increasingly concerned that something else was bothering her. But he knew better by this point than to ask, knowing that if she wanted to talk about it, she'd bring it up herself. As they walked along the sidewalk, Kanna stared at the ground, as though she were thinking very deeply about something. She was so deep in thought that Akabane actually stopped and watched in bewildered amazement as she walked right into a lamp post. She stumbled back, moaning and glaring back at him. "Any reason why you let me do that?" she growled. Akabane smiled sheepishly. "My apologies. You were thinking hard about something and I figured it'd be a shame to disturb you." he said.

"Very funny. Dang it, my head hurts, now." she growled, rubbing her bruised forehead. Akabane chuckled. "I said-"

"-You were sorry, I know." Kanna grumbled. But she turned and smiled. "You're a pain, but that's okay. That's what makes this interesting."

Akabane just hummed in thought. "I suppose that's a good thing," he murmured.

They made their way through the small crowd along the street, talking about whatever came to mind. But something was still nagging at him. He still hadn't found anything he could give to her for White Day in a day or so. When he fell silent suddenly, Kanna noticed. She frowned and stopped. "Are you okay?" she asked. He glanced at her and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind," he told her.

"Anything I can help with?"

He didn't answer this. He wasn't sure what to tell her, actually. He looked away, deciding what he should answer with. Finally, he sighed. "Kanna, I'll admit that I'm at a loss," he said.

"At a loss for what?"

He smiled sheepishly. "For what to give you for White Day, actually."

To his surprise, Kanna smiled and laughed. "Is that all? You don't have to," she said.

"It's the first time I've had reason to, Kanna." he countered. "I was thinking that I'd let you pick something out,"

"That's kind of against tradition," Kanna told him. He shrugged. "Whoever said I couldn't be a rebel?" he asked, smirking. Kanna nudged him and shook her head. "You're impossible, Kuroudo," she said.

"So you've said. Well, if you see something, tell me."

"But-"

"Kanna," he interrupted. Kanna made a face and sighed. "Oh, fine," she said. She feigned irritation, but she still appreciated it. She smiled and folded her arms behind her back, "Actually," she said, "I already know what it is!"

"What?" he asked.

She turned and headed back the way they came. "It's this way," she said, "I saw it before."

"What is it?"

She didn't answer. She just led him back down the street to a stationary-gift store, of all places, on the corner. He frowned and hesitated outside, casting her a skeptical glance. She nodded. "It's in here," she said. She made her way inside and he followed, wondering what on earth she would want in a stationary store. He got his answer when she led him to the back where there was a display case filled with various white articles for events ranging from weddings to showers. He watched from a few feet away as she carefully lifted a long, thin, pure white ribbon from the display and held it up for him to see. The ribbon was about a foot and a half long and was so white, it seemed take on a surreal glow. She smiled. "This is it." she said.

"A ribbon?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "Is that okay?"

He smiled warmly at her. "If it's what you want, then of course," he said quietly.

After paying for the ribbon, they went outside and Kanna deftly wrapped the ribbon around her neck, tying it loosely so it hung at an angle.

"It's pretty," she said.

"It certainly is," he replied. "I'm glad you're happy with it,"

On the way back, Kanna continued to hold up an end of the ribbon so she could look at it. Akabane just watched her, strangely at peace. No words had actually been exchanged yet, but he already knew he loved her. Just being around her had a calming effect on him. His job was hectic and the shifts long and strenuous, but when she smiled at him, he didn't mind it as much.

"Kuroudo," she said. He turned. "Yes?"

"I was thinking. I wish things could just stay the way they are, without any problems."

"Why do you think that?" he asked.

"I just keep worrying that something is going to happen and ruin this. I just wish that every day could be like this," she muttered. Akabane sighed and stared up into the dark sky. Everyone and everything around them seemed to disappear.

"Kanna, nothing can ever stay the same. With the passage of time comes wisdom to deal with conflict. Today is today and this moment too precious. Once gone, it can never be retrieved."

Kanna hummed and slowly, hesitantly, took his hand, interlocking her fingers with his. "I see," she said, "That's true."

She looked up at him, her eyes telling him what she wanted to say, but was unable to. Maybe it was because of all the people around, or maybe it was because she just couldn't say it right then. It was fine; he understood. He was in the same situation.

"Why don't we go back, now?" he asked.

"Sounds good," she replied.

What he said was true, and Kanna knew it. This moment _was_ too precious and with time came wisdom. Conflict would be inevitable, possibly concerning Takeo. She didn't want to, but she knew that if it was going to happen, she had no choice. She just knew that whatever happened, she wasn't alone anymore.


	10. Confrontation

Confrontation

Back home, Akabane chose to sit outside for a little bit. Kanna was messing around with something in her room; he could hear her through the walls. There was a sharp thud and she swore suddenly. He chuckled.

"I heard that, Kanna," he called. The noise stopped and he heard her footsteps as she hurried out and around to where he was. She stuck her head out the door and stared at him. "You heard that?" she exclaimed.

"Quite clearly, in fact." he said with a smirk. Something heavy flew at his head and he instinctively blocked it with his arm. It fell to the deck and he glanced down at it.

"What exactly is that?" he asked.

"A marble."

"What are you doing with a marble?" he said in amazement. She pulled the other chair over and sat down, crossing her arms. "None of your business," she snapped. She sighed and leaned up against him. "Besides, it's just junk," she mumbled. He glanced down at her. She was still wearing the ribbon.

"Kanna," he said, "Uh, never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing,"

"No, tell me," Kanna insisted.

"It's nothing, Kanna," he told her. She sighed irritably. "You're an odd one, Kuroudo. Jeez,"

"Why are you being so difficult?" he asked with a smirk.

"Because you like me that way," she said.

"You may have a point," he said, pulling her close and resting his head against hers. "That doesn't mean I agree, however."

"Like I said, you're an odd one. But that isn't a bad thing."

"By the way," he said suddenly, "I forgot to tell you; an old colleague of mine is coming out next week. He's going to stop by and visit."

"Really? What's his name?" Kanna mumbled.

"Andrew McCarthy. I feel I have to warn you; he doesn't have both oars in the water if you understand my meaning."

"So he's a little loopy, huh? That's fine. It makes sense you'd have a crazy friend."

"Why's that?"

"Sanity attracts nuttiness, of course." Kanna said. "I can't wait to meet him,"

"Famous last words," Akabane said wryly.

"Oh, he can't be that bad." Kanna retorted. Akabane sighed. "Kanna, do you remember what I told you Sanae is like in the hospital's kitchen? Andrew is the equivalent. Thanks to him, we had three months off from school one year."

"Three months!? What on earth did he do?" Kanna exclaimed.

"Released a fungus being kept in isolation in the chemistry lab. It took over the school, pretty much,"

"Oh, so that's why," Kanna said, laughing. "I still want to meet him. He sounds interesting."

Akabane smirked. "Just watch yourself, Kanna. He's a bit overbearing."

"I see. Well, no need to worry. I'm going with you and no one else," she said, closing her eyes. "I can understand your jargon, you know. It doesn't work on me."

"Good. That simplifies things," Akabane told her.

They fell silent, listening to the wind rush past and the distant sounds of the forest. Kanna sighed and snuggled up against him. "This is nice." she said.

"That it is, Kanna."

"I know what you said earlier is true, but I still wish things could stay like this, at least for a little while longer."

Truth be told, he felt the same way. He knew things had to change, but he also wished that these times could last. Time could be cruel and he knew that if he wasn't careful, time could tear Kanna away from him in the blink of an eye. He was completely honest with himself when he realized that she was probably one of the best things to happen to him. With this in mind, he hugged her closer, as if trying to protect her from time itself. It was true; these moments couldn't last, but there was nothing saying that they couldn't enjoy them, at least for a little while.

"You...you know that...that I love you, Kanna," he said quietly, in that single second, finally working up enough nerve to say it out loud. She looked up at him in mild surprise, but just smiled. "I know. You know that I love you very much," she muttered. "You also know that whatever happens, I always will."

He smiled slightly at that and sighed. "That's good to know," he said, "Because I feel the same. Don't forget that,"

"I won't. Stop worrying," Kanna said. Akabane believed her. Why wouldn't he? Besides, he had no idea what the future held. He wasn't sure anything would happen to begin with. Besides, for the moment, there was no reason to worry.

Surely it couldn't last.

//ooo//

It was late afternoon when the call came through over the P.A., calling Akabane to the front desk to meet a visitor. Fortunately, he was just finishing up his shift for the day and would be on call for the rest of the evening. Akabane made his way out to the front and had just barely gotten in sight of the lobby when he was suddenly knocked to the side, the breath crushed from his lungs as he was enveloped in an enormous bear hug.

"Kuroudo! It's been ages! How are you? What are you up to these days?" Andrew exclaimed, finally releasing his friend. Akabane was sure he'd heard his spine crack when he straightened back up and forced a smile. "Just fine, Andrew," he said weakly. "I wasn't expecting you to be here so soon."

"Yeah, I got here this morning. Didn't I tell you when I was arriving?"

"No, you didn't," Akabane said.

"Well, here I am! Did I surprise you?"

"Yes, you did," Akabane said, humoring him. Andrew burst out in laughter that shook the hallway and gave him a sharp clap on the back. Akabane glared at him as Andrew continued laughing. Being a good deal Akabane's senior, Andrew should have directed himself with a little more decorum. But it couldn't be helped. He sighed. "Well, I'm about finished up here. There's someone you may want to meet waiting out in the lobby."

Andrew's face showed surprise. "Do you mean who you were getting a gift for?" he exclaimed in excitement. Akabane nodded stiffly as he headed out toward the lobby. Andrew rambled on and on about how he'd been so sure he was right in guessing it had been a girl and how happy he was that he'd been correct. Akabane signed out at the front desk and submitted the last of his paperwork. Then he turned to see Kanna sitting on the floor playing with some blocks with a toddler. The toddler stacked the blocks up and then yanked the bottom base out from underneath it, squealing in delight when they toppled over. Kanna chuckled and then looked up when Akabane approached. She bid the toddler goodbye and bowed to her mother sitting nearby. Then she turned and approached Andrew and Akabane. Andrew just stared, mouth agape in amazement. "Woah," he said. Kanna smiled. "Hello. You must be Andrew," she said.

"Y-Yeah," Andrew said. "I'm guessing you're the-_ouch!_" he growled when Akabane quickly kicked his shin. Fortunately, Kanna didn't seem to notice that.

"I'm the what?" she asked in confusion. "Well, uh, it's nice to meet you, Andrew. I'm Kanna."

"Nice to meet you too. I have to say, if you weren't already taken, I'd probably ask you out myself." he said clumsily. Akabane rolled his eyes.

"Well," Kanna said, "I'm flattered. Thank you."

"Hey," Andrew said, "I have an idea! Why don't we all go out tonight and get reacquainted? I'll treat!"

"Sounds okay to me," Kanna said, "How about you, Kuroudo?"

"I suppose. But remember, I'm on call tonight."

"Aw, how could I forget?" Andrew exclaimed. "We'll go somewhere close so you can be back here right away if you need to. I know how much you like your work."

"You make me sound obsessive," Akabane mumbled.

"Really? I don't mean to," Andrew said. He smiled at Kanna and then frowned. "Uh, did you know that your ear is bleeding?"

Kanna blinked and then reached back to her right ear. "Oh, yup. You're right; looks like it's infected again." she said. "I keep forgetting to switch out my earrings for better quality ones that won't do this."

"Go and get some hydrogen peroxide from the front desk," Akabane said, "That should clean it up and protect it."

"Right," Kanna said, "Why don't you guys head out and I'll meet you."

She turned and headed over to the desk to get a bottle from the nurse while Andrew and Akabane left the lobby. Andrew nudged Akabane and winked, "Kuroudo, she's a cute one!" he said.

"Knock it off, Andrew." Akabane grumbled, brushing him away. Andrew chuckled. "Come on, I don't even know how long you guys have been together, but I can tell you like her. How'd you meet her?"

"She was the granddaughter of one of my patients who died a few months ago," Akabane explained.

"Is it working out?" Andrew asked. Akabane's eyes took on a faraway look. "Yes, it is." he said. "There's only one problem."

"What's that?" Andrew asked. But before Akabane could answer, a sound like thunder echoed across the hospital grounds and they both froze up, glaring toward the entrance where a couple dozen people stood blocking the road out. A few of them held guns at their sides and one of the guns was smoking. A little hole in the road before them still smoked from the bullet. In front of the group, silhouetted by the late-afternoon sun stood the last person Akabane wanted to see.

"Takeo," he growled.

Andrew looked from Akabane to Takeo and back again. He frowned concernedly when he sensed the tension clawing at the air around them. Takeo pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and sneered. "Long time no see, Dr. Akabane," he said. "Did we surprise you? I hope not. I'd hate to take you by surprise right before we take care of you."

"Kuroudo, what's going on?" Andrew asked warily. Akabane gritted his teeth, his fists clenched. "This is the problem," he muttered. "That's Kanna's cousin. I'll explain the situation later, just get back inside and lock the doors."

"Hell no, I'm not leaving you out here alone with them!" Andrew snapped.

"Don't be an idiot, Andrew," Akabane hissed.

"Quit your idle chatter over there," Takeo yelled. "Where's Kannaya?"

"Not here, Takeo," Akabane answered calmly, placing his hands in his pockets and staring Takeo down. He barely managed to keep from flinching when someone behind Takeo raised a gun and fired a single round right past him, striking the wall behind him. By now, several employees, Sanae included had begun to gather inside the lobby. Sanae, upon seeing Akabane facing down the gang, screamed and dashed outside.

"Get out of there!" she shrieked. Another shot rang out, this one ricocheting off the ground by her feet and slamming into the glass door, shattering it. She screamed and ducked down, covering her head. Akabane whirled. "Sanae, get back inside!" he yelled.

"Don't move!" Takeo growled. "You move, she dies and so does your friend there. You're to do as I say if you want to save them."

Akabane glowered at Takeo, but his shoulders sagged in defeat. "What do you want, Takeo?" he grumbled.

"Take ten steps forward and stop," Takeo commanded. Akabane did so, slowly. Andrew made to reach out to stop him, but hesitated. Akabane moved stiffly, his eyes never leaving Takeo's. Ten steps away exactly, he stopped. Takeo smirked. "Now, over to that tree," he snapped, pointing. Akabane sighed and made his way over to the tree on the side of the road, pausing and then turning to keep his eye on Takeo. As he watched, Takeo snapped his fingers. The gang scattered in different directions behind him, moving so that Akabane had no way of moving through them. One of them grabbed Sanae and held her arms behind her back. Another one shoved Andrew over on his stomach and held the barrel of his gun against his head. Andrew shifted his gaze to watch Akabane anxiously as Takeo approached him.

"I repeat, you move and your friends die." he said. "Their lives are in your hands. I don't believe in harming bystanders without probable cause."

Akabane scowled. "What do you want, Takeo?"

"Are you really that dense? I want Kannaya back. She is absolutely necessary for the Miyazaki powers to unfold in the next generation and I intend to begin it as soon as possible."

"You treat her like an object, Takeo." Akabane growled.

"I treat her like she deserves to be treated. She is not of Miyazaki blood, yet somehow, she was born with the astounding abilities the Miyazaki clan presumed extinct in the last five generations."

"Just leave her alone, Takeo," Akabane said as calmly as he could. Takeo just pulled a knife from his pocket and jabbed it into the palm of his hand. He replaced the knife, clenched his fist and produced four blood rods between his fingers. He aimed them at Akabane menacingly. "I'd shut my mouth, if I were you," he said. "I know Kannaya's in this hospital. Once she appears, I'm going to force her to watch you die by my hands as punishment for defying me. Enjoy your last few moments alive, doctor." he sneered.

"_Takeo!_"

Akabane and Takeo both froze in place at this strangely familiar voice. Akabane felt his blood run cold. It couldn't be, he thought. He turned to the right where Sanae was being held. Her head hung limply against her chest for a second before rising up to stare at them. Her eyes were strangely empty and dead-looking. She spoke, but the voice wasn't her own.

"_Stop it, Takeo!_" she yelled. Akabane gasped. "Sumika?" he exclaimed.

"Grandmother?" Takeo said in shock. "What the-?"

"Sumika, is that you?" Akabane yelled. He jumped slightly when one of Takeo's blood rods came sailing in his direction, missing him by a fraction and smacking into the tree, disintegrating into a sickening trail of blood down the bark.

"Shut up!" Takeo yelled. Akabane ignored him, staring hard at Sanae. "Sumika, have you returned?" he called, vaguely realizing that Sanae's claims of being a medium were true. So she wasn't just a crazy girl raving about her dreams, she truly _was_ a medium and she was channeling Sumika's spirit!

"_Yes,_" Sumika said through Sanae, "_I saw what was happening. Takeo, you must stop! Dr. Akabane has nothing to do with what's happening!_"

"Shut up, you freak! You're not Grandmother; she supported my marriage to Kannaya! She supported the preservation of the Miyazaki power!"

"_I supported it only if Kannaya was willing, which she clearly isn't!_"

Takeo snarled and whirled the man holding Sanae. "Gag her," he barked. "She's nothing but a fake!"

Sanae struggled viciously as the man holding her yanked a rag from his back pocket and shoved it up against her mouth. Sumika continued to scream through the rag, attempting to work herself free.

"Sumika!" Akabane yelled.

"Shut up!" Takeo snapped again. He approached with the remaining three rods still clenched tightly in his hand. Akabane watched him warily, never taking his eyes off of the rods. Takeo sighed heavily. "Just tell me where Kannaya is and I'll spare your friends. But if you try to protect her anymore, my boys will storm this hospital. Don't even think of alerting the police!" he yelled to the door where several employees and guests had gathered nervously, "Even if they come, we'll kill enough people to fill the cemetery before then!"

"Leave it!" Akabane called, "It'll be fine; just leave it."

Everyone inside murmured anxiously, but remained rooted to their spots. Takeo reached Akabane's position, brandishing the rods threateningly. "Nice call," he smirked, "You'd willingly go down to protect everyone here, even if it is in vain. You really are a good person,"

Akabane just glared at him. "Do what you want, Takeo. It won't make a difference," he growled.

"Oh? And what makes you say that?"

"Simple. All you've got going for you is a superiority complex. You're cruel and cold, so Kanna won't go with you,"

Takeo snarled. "Bad choice of words, _doctor_," he sneered. He yanked his arm back and slashed down at him viciously, opening an enormous gash running from his left shoulder halfway down his chest. Akabane grunted in pain and collapsed on his knees, clutching his wound in pain and struggling not to black out. Screams erupted from inside the hospital and another doctor attempted to rush out to help him. He was instantly stopped by a large hulking man standing outside the door who roughly shoved him back in.

"Kuroudo!" Andrew shouted in a panic from his position on the ground. "Kuroudo, are you all right!?"

Akabane gritted his teeth against the pain and glowered up at Takeo. "Really now," he growled, " Do you honestly expect to make any progress like this?"

"You're just stupid, aren't you?" Takeo snapped.

"I was...hoping to reason with you," Akabane said, his breathing ragged. Takeo hissed angrily and summoned one more rod to his hand. He raised it up above Akabane's head. "Yeah right," he growled. "Have a nice trip,"

He started to bring it down for the final blow and Akabane couldn't tear his eyes away from the weapon.

"_Kuroudo!!" _

Takeo's arm froze in mid arc and he turned, smirking. Akabane raised his head as Kanna tried to shove her way past Takeo's guards who held her back.

"Let her through!" Takeo ordered. The guards frowned, but reluctantly let her pass. Kanna stumbled outside, gasping. She caught sight of Akabane, hunched over on the ground clutching his shoulder in pain. Her face paled and she shook her head. "T-Takeo, what have you done?" she whispered. She approached weakly, reaching feebly toward him. Takeo stepped between them, reaching his hand out, a smug expression on his face. "Hello, Kannaya," he said. "I trust you're well."

"What have you done?" Kanna exclaimed in horror. She shoved past him and knelt beside Akabane. She took one look at his wound and her face darkened. She turned, scowling. "You used the Blood Rod technique on him!" she yelled.

"Of course; he opposed me, so I eliminated my opponent," Takeo declared. Kanna shook her head in disbelief and turned slowly to Akabane. Meeting his eyes, she carefully placed her hand over his wound. As he watched her curiously, a strange warmth began to spread through his body starting from the injury. He glanced over at her hand and was amazed to see that it was glowing faintly. "Kanna, are you...." he muttered. She nodded.

"Just hold still," she instructed quietly. "I can use my flame to seal the injury."

Akabane smiled. "Flame, huh? You continue to surprise me, Kanna," he whispered.

Takeo, meanwhile, watched in furious disbelief. "What the-? How _dare_ you!?" he yelled. Kanna ignored him as she finished healing the gash Takeo had given him. Akabane placed his hand on her shoulder, preparing to dive to the side with her in case Takeo lost it. Fortunately, Takeo seemed too stunned with fury to move right at the moment.

Finally, Kanna removed her hand and looked away. "You'll have that scar forever," she mumbled, "But it should be completely healed, now."

She stood up and turned to face Takeo. Akabane got to his feet, watching with baited breath as Kanna approached Takeo, her head low and hair covering her eyes. As he watched, her black hair suddenly took on an auburn hue in the sunlight. It wasn't like that before, even when she went out during the day. Takeo followed her with his eyes, turning to keep her in sight as she crossed into the road and faced the rest of his gang.

"You've crossed the line, Takeo," she mumbled. "I never wanted it to come to this, seeing how you were the only remaining family I had. But you leave me no other choice,"

Across the grounds, Sumika, still in Sanae's body, finally wrestled her mouth free from the grip of the goon holding her. She sank her teeth into his hand and whirled, jamming her fist straight into the solar plexus. The man groaned in pain and fell to the ground, stunned. Sumika turned. "_No! Kanna, Takeo, stop! You mustn't fight each other! The damage could be catastrophic!_"

But Kanna was deaf to her, now. Akabane hurried across the road to where Sumika stood, shaking. He could only watch as Takeo, realizing his grip was slipping, ordered his gang to apprehend Kanna. They abandoned their posts near the entrance and approached her cautiously. Apparently, they'd been warned in advance that Kanna may be dangerous.

Andrew took this opportunity to scramble to his feet and rush over to stand with Akabane and Sumika. "What the heck is happening, Kuroudo?" he demanded.

"I don't know, Andrew. But I don't like it, whatever it is," Akabane answered gravely.

Takeo's gang closed in on Kanna, hesitant, but gradually growing bolder when she showed no signs of fighting back. Finally, one of them smirked and reached out to grab her arm.

The second he touched her skin, however, his body erupted with a roar into a ball of flame, toppling backward and screaming in agony. Instantly, the other members backed off, horrified as their colleague burned to death before them. Kanna sighed and bowed her head. She glanced at Akabane sadly. "I'm sorry," she mumbled. Then, she closed her eyes. Takeo gasped and stepped back, "Everyone, get away from her! Get back now!" he yelled. "It's the Miyazaki Ultimate Technique!"

With a hissing breath, Kanna began to fall back, seemingly losing consciousness.

"Kanna!" Akabane yelled, rushing forward to catch her before she fell. But while he stopped her fall, it hit him that she wasn't moving at all. In fact, she seemed to be pulsing. Her entire outlook appeared fiery and her hair glowed bright auburn.

"Idiot," Takeo sneered.

With a roar, an enormous wall of flame erupted from Kanna's body, seething outwards and blazing along the side of the building, licking the inside of the hospital and scattering employees and visitors alike. Akabane was nowhere to be seen within the flames as they pulsed upward and outward, taking shape as they grew.

Andrew pushed Sumika out of the way, shielding his eyes from the heat wave and its white hot center. He just shook his head in disbelief and agony. "No," he murmured, "No, no, Kuroudo, you idiot!" he exclaimed

"_Don't lose hope,_" Sumika said to him as the blaze began to solidify into one gargantuan mass on the road, "_Your friend will live_"

"But how? No one could have survived that explosion! It had to have been a bomb or something!"

But as they watched, the mass of flame, roaring to life, rose up on four legs, its four blazing tails trailing ominously behind it. Its head rose up to the third floor of the hospital and its eyes snapped open with a shower of red-hot sparks that clattered to the ground below. Opening its mouth, the giant flaming fox let out a blood-curdling bellow to Takeo and his gang below. Andrew stared up into its face in horror, barely noticing as Sumika tugged on his arm, "_Look! Below the fox! Do you see?_"

Andrew looked and sure enough, Akabane knelt with Kanna's limp body in his arms, staring up at the fox in complete terror. He was unharmed in the slightest.

The fox padded away, its footfalls reverberating along the ground as it walked. It peered down at Akabane, who strangely, didn't flinch away. He just stared into its eyes in disbelief and awe.

"K-Kanna?" he stammered. The fox nudged him gently with its nose and raised its head with a snarl. Takeo's gang, originally frozen in fear, screamed in horror and took to their heels. The fox took off after them, crushing two beneath its feet and snatching another up in its massive jaws. With a simple flick of its head, it hurled its victim high into the air and turned to the rest of them.

Akabane just watched in horror as Takeo's gang was crushed to pieces before him. The fox thundered across the grounds, snarling in rage as it took down one opponent after another until finally, Takeo's entire gang lay dead or dying all around them. Now, the fox turned its attention to Takeo. Takeo took a step back, but sneered at it. "So, you think that just because you've killed these morons that you've beaten me, huh?" he said. "Well, it isn't over yet. If you want to finish this, you know where to find me!"

His body suddenly erupted in flames that blazed brightly for a moment and then faded to blue cinders on the ground. The fox grumbled low in its belly and turned. It stamped back to Akabane. He instinctively knew to step back as the fox lay down with a sigh beside Kanna's body and closed its eyes. The flames began to disappear inside Kanna, dwindling the fox down to nothing as the flames vanished. Within seconds, the fox was gone entirely and Kanna moaned and opened her eyes. She sat up, her face a cross between bitter and angry. Akabane approached cautiously. "Kanna?" he said.

"Stay away," she growled. He blinked in surprise, but didn't move. "Kanna, are you-"

"Stay away!Just get away from me!" she yelled, lashing out at him. He could see immense pain in her eyes. But before he could say anything, two bright flaming waves erupted off her back, quickly forming into fiery wings. She beat them viciously only once and soared up into the air, quickly disappearing from sight. He watched her go with a mixture of confusion and anxiety.

"Kanna," he muttered.

"_Quickly! We must go after her!_"

Akabane turned. He'd almost forgotten about Sumika. She hurried over with Andrew. She looked grim. "_Kannaya has gone to face Takeo! We must stop them from fighting! If we don't, they could easily destroy the entire region!_" she exclaimed.

"But what can we do?" Andrew exclaimed. Akabane sighed. "All right, Andrew, you stay here and help calm everyone down. Sumika and I will go after Kanna."

"Before Andrew could reply, he took off toward the parking lot, Sumika following closely. Andrew watched them go and then turned to everyone else. "Okay, people, lets' get this mess cleaned up!" he yelled. He turned back in the direction they'd gone and sighed.

"You guys had better be careful," he muttered.


	11. The Final Stage

The Final Stage

Akabane started the car's engine, glancing at Sumika sitting in the passenger seat. Sanae's eyes were deadened, but he knew that Sumika still controlled her.

"Where have they gone?" he asked.

"_There's a bridge at the base of the mountains,_" Sumika explained, "_In the distant past, sacrificial rites were held at a shrine that used to stand where the bridge is, now._"

"That's a good six miles from here!" Akabane exclaimed as they sped out of the parking lot. Sumika sighed. "_I know. We may not make it in time to stop the fight. They intend to fight to the death. Takeo believes that Kannaya's sole existence is to produce a full-blooded heir to the Miyazaki clan. Nobody taught him this notion; he was apparently born with it._"

"It's a form of superiority complex. Kanna told me everything he's done to her," Akabane said grimly. Sumika just shook her head in disbelief. "_I always knew it would come to this,_" she muttered.

"What do you mean?" Akabane asked.

"_Ordinarily, I would never tell another living soul what I am about to tell you. Even Kannaya doesn't know this, so what you are about to hear, you are never to repeat. Do you understand?_"

"Yes," he said.

"_It starts with Mireille and Nozomi. Mireille and Nozomi were raised to believe they were fraternal twins I adopted at birth. But that wasn't the case. They were both adopted, but they weren't related in any way. Nozomi came to me in a basket on the doorstep, while Mireille came from my elder sister, who died giving birth to her in secret._"

"What? So then that means that Kanna really is a part of the Miyazaki clan," Akabane said. Sumika nodded. "_Yes. My elder sister was a devout follower of our age-old rites. She uncovered an ancient prophecy dating back over thirteen generations. It stated knowledge of the Miyazaki Ultimate Technique. The prophecy depicted the nature of this, and two other techniques that were fated to die out in our clan as our blood was watered down. Satsuki found information explaining how to revive the techniques into the clan should they ever die out completely. I never saw the full description and Satsuki burned the scrolls before I could read __them. Then, she disappeared for several years, into the mountains. When she came back, only myself and our aging mother remained. By this time, I was twenty years of age, but unable to have children. Satsuki was pregnant when she returned. No one knew who the father was and Satsuki never revealed anything. Every day, she would sit for hours outside, talking quietly to her unborn child. At first, I was concerned, albeit happy for her. But from there, things began to get worse,_"

Sumika paused and sighed. Akabane could tell that saying this was painful to her. He focused on driving until she decided to continue.

"_Satsuki began to complain about intense burning from within her. She would often scream from nowhere, crying out to mother and myself to make it stop hurting her, so. There was nothing we could do, of course. But I knew that this demonic child, as I called it, was eating my sister alive from the inside out. Satsuki and I both knew that she would not survive the birth. So when the time finally came, her labor was incredibly long and increasingly difficult. She would pass out every few minutes from the sheer pain of it all. The midwife from our village was skeptical of my sister's predicament, but mother encouraged her to help us. Halfway through the process, Satsuki turned to me and suddenly smiled. She told me 'this baby is our savior', she said. 'This baby will revive the ancient customs through the next generation,'. I had no idea what she meant, of course, and she passed out once more, just as the moment arrived. My young niece, Mireille came into the world and Satsuki died without ever laying eyes on her. It was probably just as well, for the mere sight of Mireille caused the midwife to scream in horror and flee from the house. Mireille emerged from my sister in the form of a demonic flaming fox kit. The sight of her caused my mother to die from fear, leaving Mireille to my care. I was extremely unwilling, but encouragement from our village elder, the only one to see Mireille for the blessing she apparently was, convinced me to raise her in secret in the mountains. After only a month, Mireille mastered the art of shifting from kit to human infant at will. It was around this time that some peasant dropped Nozomi off on my doorstep with a note asking me to care for her. In this sense, I raised Mireille and Nozomi as twin sisters." _

She paused again, gathering her thoughts and leaving Akabane to process what he'd just heard. He hummed. "So your sister was able to revive the extinct techniques somehow while meditating in the mountains," he said. Sumika nodded. "_Yes. As they grew, the village elder __brought me research on how to deal with Mireille. He explained that she was the purest essence of our long-forgotten techniques. Through her, our legacy would be reborn into the next generation. And, many years later, once she'd fully mastered her powers, Mireille married and gave birth to a single, living daughter, Kannaya, my great-niece. Nozomi also married and brought forth Takeo. Mireille always believed herself to be separate from the Miyazaki clan like her 'sister', Nozomi. I could never bring myself to tell her about her past or her true mother. By the time I'd finally worked up the nerve, Mireille and her husband were killed in a terrorist bombing in Hiroshima, of all places. Now, Kannaya was growing up learning our most secret abilities and enduring the worst hardship from Takeo for these very abilities. I always worried for her welfare, always under such stress. But I worry no more," _

"Why is that?"

"_Are you really so dense? You have come into her life. You can save her from the curse her grandmother started so long ago._"

"If it isn't too much trouble, could you explain this ultimate technique?" Akabane asked.

"_The Flaming Fox technique. Like Mireille, Kannaya has the ability to forcefully expel her spirit from her body in the form of a giant flaming fox deity. While this ability is devastating to her enemies, it leaves her body extremely vulnerable to attack. If her body were to be attacked in fox form, the fox would probably disappear. I always encourage her not to use this technique if she is at all able. This is what worries me the most; if she were to use the fox form against Takeo, he would know to immediately attack her body._"

"We have to stop them, then," Akabane insisted. "We'll get there in about ten minutes,"

Sumika sighed dejectedly. "_In that case, we'll be too late, then,_" she muttered. "_Their fight will have begun. It will be a fight to the death,_"

"Death!?" he exclaimed in horror.

"_Yes. Kannaya can't forgive Takeo for hurting you and Takeo refuses to let Kannaya go. If only I could have held on for just a little longer, I could have stopped this!_"

"Don't blame yourself," Akabane told her as they turned off the main road. "We just have to stop them in time,"

"_I assume you know where to go,_" Sumika said.

"More or less. But it's hard to miss," he replied. "But if there's any chance of stopping this, I'm taking it."

Sumika smiled faintly. "_I'm glad that someone can look after Kannaya in my place,_" she whispered.

The bridge Sumika mentioned was stationed a good ways outside of town. Akabane had a general idea where to find it, but he couldn't be sure and he knew that every second wasted meant that Kanna could lose her life against her cousin. Just the thought of it pushed him to find the place before whatever was going on got out of hand.

"_We've nearly caught them! I can sense their energies flaring!_" Sumika exclaimed. "_We have to hurry; I won't be able to keep my grip for much longer!_"

"What? Do you mean your control over Sanae?" Akabane asked. Sumika nodded. "_Yes. Sanae willingly gave me her body, but there's only so long I can hang onto this mortal form. I'm no longer among the living, so my power is weak! I'm just fortunate that her power is so incredibly strong!_"

Akabane smiled wryly. "This is ironic. All this time, I believed Sanae to be insane. I owe her my deepest apologies for doubting her abilities."

He turned on a sharp curve when something caught his eye to the left. He slammed on the brakes and threw open the door while Sumika rushed out the other side. Akabane came to a halt at the guard rail, staring down into the ravine to where the bridge stood, abandoned by the world with the construction of a modern highway further up the mountain. Below the bridge was the deepest chasm around, well over four hundred feet. The wooden bridge was flimsy.

"Kanna," he muttered. From his vantage point, he could see her on the bridge, hunched over and clearly in pain. She'd already been badly injured. Sumika began to panic beside him; "_No! Kannaya, Takeo! No!_" she exclaimed. Without hesitation, he climbed up over the guard rail and slid down the rocky slope until he got to the bottom. Sumika attempted to follow him, but he turned and called out, "No! This embankment is extremely fragile. Stay back there!"

"_But you have no plausible defense against Takeo! Kannaya is already wounded and Takeo may go after you in order to break her spirit completely!_"

"I'll be fine, Sumika. If you lose your grip while descending, it could put Sanae in danger. I don't want to take that risk,"

Sumika seemed reluctant, but he had a good point. "_Very well, but I'm coming down if it __gets out of control!_" she called.

Akabane made his way across the rocky edge of the ravine, struggling to both keep his footing and his eye on the bridge. Kanna was getting to her feet, but even from this distance, he could see she was dangerously weak. She was obviously still holding back, whereas Takeo was showing no mercy. He summoned three blood rods to his hand, approaching her. With a single decisive lash, he hurled them all at Kanna, who barely managed to dodge two, the third slicing through her shoulder. She rolled, caught her footing and stood up, gasping for breath. Then, she reached up to her torn shoulder and ran her hand across it. She clasped her hands together, smearing the palms with her own blood. She pulled her arm back and swung it in a sharp arc, sending hundreds of minute blood fragments hurling toward Takeo. Takeo dodged to the side and charged at her sharply. She summoned another blood rod to her hand and jabbed at him with the point, forcing him back.

Akabane jumped down from a large rock, landing just feet away from the edge of the ravine. He could now see the abandoned dirt road that led to the bridge. When the highway had been built, the old road was cut off permanently. The bridge, lacking maintenance, was fragile and decrepit. He knew that it could easily give way beneath the pressures of their fight. Now, he was close enough to hear what they were saying.

"You of all people should know your place in this clan, Kannaya!" Takeo sneered.

"Oh, shut up, already, Takeo. I'm not just a tool for furthering the Miyazaki clan's power!"

"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong, Kannaya! That's the sole reason you exist!" Takeo countered, lunging at her viciously. Kanna pulled the rod back and jammed it forward, too late for Takeo to avoid it. It embedded itself deep in his right arm. Takeo yelled in pain and lashed at her with a blood rod of his own, narrowly missing her head. Kanna released the rod stuck within Takeo's arm and stumbled backward, gasping. Akabane expected Takeo's injury to slow him down. He was wrong. Takeo winced as he grasped the rod and yanked it out sharply, dropping it to the ground where it melted into a grotesque puddle of blood. He chuckled. "Kannaya, do you really think you can beat me? You may be strong, but you don't stand a chance the way you are right now. Your anger over my attacking that doctor has caused you to expend precious energy in a pointless chase to catch me before we arrived here."

"You had no right bringing him into this!" Kanna yelled.

"Again, you're wrong. He was preventing me from claiming what belongs to the clan. Don't you get it? You are what's going to bring the Miyazaki clan back into the spot of the most feared family in the world!"

"No, thanks," Kanna growled, "I'm not interested."

She closed her eyes, regulating her breathing, slowly. Takeo frowned. "You aren't serious," he snapped, "You're going to use your fox form to beat me? If I attack your body, you die!"

But Kanna didn't respond. Instead, her body took on a strange orange glow. This one was different from before when she changed at the hospital. Her long hair split into four separate tips at the ends, glowing bright blue and red-orange at the same time. Instead of completely transforming, the fire surrounded her form, blazing off her body in anger. She raised her head, staring Takeo down. He scowled. "I see, so that's your plan. You're using the power of the fox to partially transform and still keep your human coil."

Kanna let out a shrill, unearthly scream and lunged at him at three times her normal speed. Before a second had passed, she was behind Takeo, who whirled to intercept her attack head-on. Holding her back with a single blood rod, Takeo smirked, "Kanna, you're still so weak," he sneered. Kanna's eyes had turned bright red in fury and she bared her teeth at him angrily.

"It's useless," Takeo said. But right then, his smug look vanished when Kanna shrieked all of a sudden and he was simultaneously thrown back against the wooden bridge with the force of a train. Akabane could tell from where he was, about sixty or seventy feet away, that the force from the landing had probably broken a few bones. Sensing the end of the battle approaching, Akabane hurried to reach the bridge as fast as he could before things got worse.

Kanna slowly approached, bringing forth a single rod to her hand. She flew down at Takeo, wrapped her free hand around his throat and raised the rod up. For the first time, Takeo's eyes shone with uncertainty and fear. Kanna's held no emotion except for anger and hatred. She braced her hand to strike.

Akabane paused at the edge of the ravine, breathless and exhausted. "Kanna!" he yelled.

For a single moment, Kanna froze. She raised her head slightly to spot him standing by the support pole of the bridge, staring back at her. For just a second, her eyes reverted back to their original emerald.

"Kuroudo?" she muttered.

Suddenly, she grunted in pain and froze in shock, staring into space. Takeo had taken her moment of hesitation to summon one rod to his hand and stab it into her side. Akabane's eyes widened in horror, but he found that he couldn't move; he was frozen in place.

Kanna's body shook, her eyes glowing bright red again. She snarled down at Takeo and slashed her own rod down at his throat, severing his neck halfway through with a single strike. Takeo's head lolled to the side as he began to bleed out.

"Kanna," Akabane muttered as the flame surrounding Kanna dissipated back within her body. Her head fell limply against her chest as she collapsed to the side on the bridge, unconscious. The rod in her side melted back into blood, allowing her wound to bleed freely. Kanna was sure she heard something or perhaps someone....

"_Kanna!!_"

But total darkness enveloped her and she heard nothing after that.

//ooo//

Kanna felt a stinging pain in her side as she felt herself slipping back into reality. How long had she been out? She wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure how she'd gotten in such a state in the first place. The only thing she knew for sure was that she wasn't on the bridge anymore.

She opened her eyes to see a blank white wall swathed in darkness, a single shaft of moonlight filtering in through the window as the only light source. She was in a bed. But where was she? She tried to sit up, but winced at the sting in her side and fell back down with a sigh. Her body felt heavy. She turned her head. Someone was sitting beside the bed, apparently dozing. She frowned. "Kuroudo?" she said weakly. His head shot up and he looked down at her, smiling. "Kanna, you're awake," he said quietly.

"Where am I?"

"The hospital. That was quite the close call you had,"

Kanna frowned in confusion. "Close call? What was I doing, again?"

He reached out and brushed her hair from her eyes affectionately, still smiling in relief that she was all right. "Just sleep, Kanna. I'll talk with you when you've rested," he said. Kanna knew better than to argue. She sighed and closed her eyes, forcing herself to try to rest. But her mind was awake and she found it difficult to relax. Finally, she allowed herself to drift into a deep, dreamless sleep.

//ooo//

Kanna awoke to sunshine streaming into the room. She moaned slightly and opened her eyes, squinting at the light. After another failed attempt to sit up, she sighed and glanced around. There was no one in the room, so she was by herself for the moment. But how did she end up in the hospital? She remembered a sharp pain in her side followed by a strange red haze. But that was all. She worked herself into a somewhat upright position and tried to see out the window.

She jumped when the door opened, raising her hand instinctively to summon a blood rod if she had to before remembering that she was in the hospital. She relaxed a bit when Akabane appeared. "Good morning, Kanna," he said, "Did you sleep well?"

"Not entirely. What happened? How'd I get here?" she asked. He sighed heavily and frowned. "Do you honestly not recall what happened?" he asked her. She shook her head slowly and turned away. "No, I don't," she mumbled. "I remember Takeo and a red haze throughout much of it. I remember that we were fighting on some bridge a good ways from here. But everything turns to the red haze after a little while."

"I see. I think I understand, then," Akabane said, moving to sit down beside the bed. Kanna watched him carefully, but he betrayed none of his thoughts through expression.

"So?" she said, "What is it?"

"You accessed your fox form," he told her, "And this clouded your vision and actions during the duration of this activation of your power. I suppose it could be described as a schizophrenic phenomenon that occurs whenever this happens, but we don't know enough yet. Besides, I'm not entirely certain you'd want to remember all the details."

"And Takeo, is he okay?" Kanna asked uncertainly. Akabane shook his head slowly. "No, Kanna, I'm afraid not. There was no hope for him; he was dead in seconds." he said. Kanna's face fell and she clenched her fist around the blanket. "How did he die?" she asked.

"I'm not going to tell you, Kanna. It would only upset you," he told her firmly. Her eyes blazed, but he held her gaze adamantly. Finally, she turned away, glaring into space. "I killed him, didn't I? I don't remember how, or even if it was quick, but I know that I killed him."

"It was quick, Kanna. I'll reveal that much," he said quietly. "He likely didn't feel a thing."

Kanna just shook her head. "I'm a horrible person," she mumbled, "I killed my own cousin. I killed my last living family member!"

She hunched into a ball. "How could I do that? I killed him!"

"Kanna, you had no other choice," Akabane tried to tell her. But Kanna just kept shaking her head. "I just...I just...," she kept muttering. She grunted suddenly when she moved the wrong way and started to hurt again. "Wha-?"

"Don't move around too much, Kanna," he said, "Fortunately, it was a minor incision that missed all of your vital organs. A few days' rest and you'll be just fine,"

Kanna sighed. "I'm sorry," she said, "I made you worry, didn't I?"

"Yes," he admitted bluntly, "However, if I recall, a good relationship will have its share of worries, am I right?"

Kanna had to smile at this and he chuckled. "There you go. You're looking better already. Now then, I have to return to my rotation, but I'll be back to check on you, soon."

"Oh, so I'm just one of your patients, now?" Kanna teased.

"For the time being, I'll have to see you as such." he replied, smiling. "Just wait a week, or so and things will definitely be different."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me, albeit somewhat poorly." Kanna said, leaning back against the wall. He just smiled and left the room. Kanna shook her head and stared up at the ceiling, stewing in her own thoughts. Takeo was dead, Sumika was dead. She was the last survivor of the Miyazaki clan. The name would die out with her, or die if she ever married. Somehow, even though she'd dreaded Takeo's control over her and the constant stress he put on their surname, she felt strangely saddened by all of this.

"Grandma, what would you do if you were me, right now?" she asked the empty air. Of course she got no response. Instead, she sighed, pulled the blanket up to her chin and snuggled into a tight ball. At least she wasn't completely alone, anymore. Her most important person was still somewhere down the hall and just too far away for comfort.

//ooo//

Three months passed. The Japanese government was in conflict with some other country. It was possible that a war was looming ahead in the near future. This was worrisome, but for the moment, it was only a rumor.

With the coming of spring, new memories are created and stashed away and new beginnings cropped up everywhere to be found. For Kanna, life had exchanged her basket of lemons for a basket of apples. Things were much better, now. She had consulted a lawyer concerning Takeo's death, which had been ruled as self-defense in Kanna's predicament. Once the messy details had been taken care of, Kanna had returned to the condominium she'd once shared with Sumika. It was a bit difficult, but knowing she wasn't alone was a big help. She and Akabane spent almost all of their free time together, never doing much, just enjoying one another's company. Occasionally, Kanna would feel the effects of being the last survivor of her clan and she'd grow melancholic once again. Akabane still worried about her when this happened, but she always assured him it was nothing.

Late June signaled the warmer parts of the summer. The trees around the hospital were bright green and healthy. Flowers bloomed in the soil all around the building. Visitors of stricken patients often took to escorting them around the grounds to enjoy Nature at its brightest.

Kanna still accompanied Akabane to the hospital during the day, even though she was finally safe for good. She enjoyed watching him work. She told him that he truly seemed to enjoy what he did. In truth, Akabane enjoyed having her there. Whenever he got a chance, he'd take a break from his rotation and they'd chat for a half hour or so. He was always sure no one paid any attention, but of course, he was wrong. As always, Sanae noticed.

Akabane was busy running through his paperwork as he approached a corner in the hallway.

"You two are so cute together!" Sanae shrieked behind him suddenly. He yelled and whirled, dropping his clipboard and scattering the papers. Sanae stood there, staring blankly. "Woah, you must have _really_ been deep in thought. I don't usually manage to scare you like that." she said in awe. Akabane sighed angrily and knelt to gather up the papers. "Sanae, what are you doing?" he growled.

"I saw you talking with Kanna, again!" Sanae chimed, rocking back and forth on her toes. Akabane threw her an 'evil eye' and snatched up the last paper, straightening up with a sigh. "I see. So you were avoiding Ms. Yoshida, yet again, were you?"

"Oh, stop threatening me with Ms. Yoshida, already!" Sanae screeched.

"Honestly, you're like an annoying little sister," Akabane mumbled. Sanae's face went bright red with fury. "I'm _what_!? Say that to my face you-you numbskull!"

"Wrong insult for the current situation, Sanae," Akabane said, rolling his eyes. Sanae had gone back to normal almost immediately following Kanna and Takeo's battle. Sumika had vanished by the time Akabane had gotten Kanna back up to the car. It was a little saddening, seeing how she never got to tell Kanna the truth or say goodbye to her. But the old woman's spiritual strength had finally given out and Akabane hadn't heard from her since. Now, Sanae was back to normal with absolutely no memory of ever being possessed.

"Oh, what_ever_!" Sanae growled, crossing her arms and blowing a raspberry.

"Go back to your shift, Sanae. I have work to do," Akabane told her sternly. She opened one eye and peered at him. "So is it working out?" she asked quickly.

"What?"

"You and Kanna. Are you guys working out?"

"That really isn't any of your business, Sanae," Akabane grumbled.

"Well, I'm making it my business! I'm the mature one around here and I've got make sure you're not doing anything stupid!"

"Oh yes, Sanae, you certainly are the mature one around here," Akabane taunted, moving off down the hall. Sanae kept up with him, fuming. "I know when I'm being patronized! Don't you make fun of me! I might just channel the spirit of some maniac and hunt you down with a vengeance!"

"You do that," he mumbled. Sanae huffed angrily and shoved her hands into her pockets. "You're irritating, you know that?"

"Thank you. I try my best."

"I wasn't complimenting you. So anyway, how do you think you're gonna propose?"

He stopped, sighed irritably and whacked her on the head with the clipboard. Sanae yelled and rubbed her head furiously, glaring after him as he continued on. "Hey! What the heck was that for you big dumb meanie!?" she exclaimed.

"Please return to your shift, Sanae, I need to concentrate," Akabane said without looking back. Sanae hissed through her teeth and pointed after him, "You just wait! I'll get you back with my ultimate trick!"

"You've already pulled the water over the door trick, Sanae," Akabane called back. Sanae blinked and snapped her fingers. "Damn, I didn't think he'd remember that one." she grumbled. With that, she stalked off, plotting.

Akabane sighed, staring into space. Sanae was insane; this was clear. But what she'd said had gotten him thinking. He and Kanna had been dating for almost five months. It was hard to believe that time had flown by so quickly. It seemed like only a couple of days ago that they'd met. Were relationships always like this?

He decided he'd think on it some more.

//ooo//

That evening, Akabane found himself sitting outside once again, feeling like something was missing. He got this feeling a lot, nowadays. Ever since Kanna left to live in Sumika's old place, he'd felt like something had been taken from him. He'd been with Kanna for so long that now, he wasn't sure what to do without her. Before, he hadn't minded too much. But now, this place just seemed...empty.

He sighed and got up, heading back inside. He glanced at the phone and hesitated. Then, he shook his head and turned away. He stopped when the phone rang suddenly and he turned back. He answered it on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"_...Hey, it's Kanna,_"

He smiled slightly at the sound of her voice. "Kanna, good evening. Is something wrong?" he asked.

"_No, I just...well, I just wanted to hear your voice. It's kind of different, you know?_"

"I understand." he said. "I must admit; it's strange without you here, anymore."

"_Yeah, I'll bet. It's weird for me, too. I mean, we spent so much time together, it's kind of like something is missing in a way,_"

"I know."

They both fell silent for a minute or two. He wasn't sure what to say. He could tell she didn't know what to say, either.

"_Um,_" she said finally.

"Yes?"

"_Is it...is it okay if I come over? I just...I just want to see you._"

He smiled lightly and sighed. "Kanna, you are always welcome here." he told her. "I'll be here."

"_Okay. I'll see you soon, then,_" she said. "_Thanks_."

"Of course." he replied. They hung up. He sighed and stared out the window. He wasn't sure why everything felt so different now that she lived elsewhere, but he knew there was really nothing to be done for it.

It wasn't yet fully dark out. He knew that Kanna and Sumika hadn't lived too far away, so he figured she'd probably walk. He found himself bracing every time he heard footsteps outside the door, fully expecting them to be hers. He just shook his head and sighed. He was getting to edgy. But he just couldn't shake this weird feeling.

After a while, he heard a slight knock at the door. He made his way over and opened it to see Kanna standing out there looking somewhat downhearted.

"Kanna?" he said. She looked up and smiled faintly. "Hey," she said. He stepped back and she made her way inside as he shut the door. She paused in the breezeway, staring at the floor. "I'm sorry to bother you like this," she said.

"You're doing nothing of the sort, Kanna. Is something the matter?" he asked, moving beside her.

"No, it's just that, well, I just couldn't settle at home, for some reason. I just...." she muttered, trailing off. "After spending so much time with you, I just can't seem to be alone, anymore." she said quietly.

Akabane sighed heavily. "For the record, Kanna, I understand you completely." he answered. Kanna played with the fabric of her shirt. "Hm," she said. "I see. So, it seems we have a bit of a predicament here,"

She moved to stare up at the painting on the wall. He just watched her carefully, not saying anything.

"Um," she muttered.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to know...um, never mind." she stammered, shaking her head. He smiled and sighed. "Shall I drive you back to get your things?" he asked. Kanna turned to face him, smiling gratefully. "I'd appreciate it." she said. She moved into his embrace, feeling more at peace. He held her tightly, finally relinquishing that emptiness that came from her absence from his daily life. From then on, he'd look back on that moment, knowing that single gesture had decided everything.


	12. The Deciding Factor

The Deciding Factor

Things were progressing smoothly. The routines at the hospital kept him busy, but Akabane remained content in his work. Both dissatisfied apart from the other, Kanna had opted to go back with him and things had seemingly returned to the way they were before when Takeo lived. Try as they might, however to keep it under wraps, their relationship eventually leaked into the hospital's employee grapevine, courtesy of Sanae Suzuhara. Sanae now followed Kanna everywhere, seeing how Akabane had developed a peculiar habit of throwing whatever he was holding at Sanae whenever she decided to bug him. Kanna tolerated Sanae, but understood Akabane's irritation. Normally, he always kept his pet peeves under control, but Sanae was a special case. She was quite the chatterbox.

"So," Sanae said to Kanna as they sat in the lobby, "He's nice huh? I love the guy! Not like that, mind you, more as a big brother or a father figure because my own dad dumped us when I was born, but you get the idea. See, I've got a boyfriend already and his name is Takeshi! He's sweet! He's always calling just to say hello and whatever and I just love talking to him, you know?" she said, talking so fast that Kanna barely had time to pick her words out before she started again. She just nodded politely, all the while searching for excuses to leave for a few minutes and allow her poor ears time to heal.

Akabane usually had to remain on call, but evenings were typically peaceful. They'd gone back to their old routine of sitting outside and talking quietly. Now that spring was in full force, it was possible for these times to last longer.

This night, though, their topic turned somewhat grim.

"I may join the war effort, soon," he told her. Kanna sighed. "That's just like you." she muttered. "But I don't like the idea."

"Why not?"

Kanna leaned against him, staring out over the horizon worriedly. "Because if you go, you may never come back. That's why," she said.

"Kanna, many people will go and never come back. They become meaningless statistics in the eyes of the government. But if I go, perhaps I could bring that list of statistics down, slightly."

"Or you could _become_ one of those statistics," Kanna muttered. "Kuroudo, you're a skilled surgeon and a very kind person. I don't think you're suited for war."

"Maybe, or maybe not. But right now, Kanna, war is inevitable. Our country is in danger of overthrow. I can't just do nothing."

"Can't you at least think some more before you do anything?" Kanna asked, staring up at him in fear. He met her gaze, seeing up close how truly frightened she was at the prospect of his departure. He brushed his hand gently against her face, gazing down at her seriously. "Kanna, I understand how you feel. But I feel I should help in any way I can. If I go, I could save lives that would otherwise be lost."

Kanna hummed and stared down at the floor. "I just don't know about this. I don't want to lose you."

He sighed, thinking. Finally, he smiled at her. "Then how about this," he said, "Under every circumstance, I promise to return."

Kanna appeared skeptical and quite frankly, he didn't blame her. But the looming threat of war between the two opposing countries had been present for many, many months, now. He'd actually set his mind on participating two months prior, but hadn't found the words to tell her until now. He knew he was needed; his skills were substantial and he knew he could do much to help. But she was right; there was always that chance that he could end up as nothing but a statistic on a piece of paper once everything was over and done with. He had to think of some way to placate her clear misgivings about this whole idea.

She sighed and stood up. "I'm going to sleep," she mumbled. He watched her go, knowing full well that she knew he'd already long since made up his mind and that she'd spend the entire night worrying herself sick over it. He frowned, struggling to think of a way to convince her and stop her worrying so much. But after an hour of thinking, he'd finally come to a conclusion. There was only one way to prove that there was no way he'd die participating in this upcoming war. With this in mind, he got to his feet and went back inside, grabbing his coat and keys. Before he left, he checked on Kanna. She was sound asleep on the bed in her room. She still wore her day clothes so he assumed she'd just decided to lay down and rest and ended up falling into a deep sleep. He quietly got a spare blanket from the closet and draped it over her gently, kneeling down beside the bed to gaze at her sleeping face.

"Kanna, please try to understand," he whispered, "I'm needed, but I'd never do something so cruel as to leave you,"

He slowly leaned forward and lightly kissed her forehead. She murmured in her sleep and nestled into the blanket with a sigh.

He quietly made his way out of the room and shut the door. Then, he left without a word.

//ooo//

Kanna avoided talking with him. He knew she was upset. He also knew that was aware of the full extent of the severity of the beginnings of the war that was starting and that he planned to participate in. She was the only one besides the director who knew of his plans. The director had agreed ninety per cent that Akabane was suited for the job. He said that by him going, many people would get the chance to go home, afterward. Unfortunately, Kanna still worried incessantly. He was positive his idea to convince her would work, but she refused to speak with him.

Case in point, Akabane attempted to approach her during his break, but as though she knew he was coming, she upped and disappeared while he was still ten feet away. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. What was he supposed to do to at least get her to listen? His idea was meaningless if she didn't hear him out.

He heard the footsteps long before Sanae actually reached him. "Don't even think about it," he muttered as she poised to toss a water balloon at him. She stomped angrily and stalked back down the hallway, growling to herself. He turned and watched her go, shaking his head. "That girl isn't normal," he said to himself. He sighed when he heard her running back in a frenzy and deftly stepped aside, causing her to overstep her footing and fall face-first to the floor. Sanae groaned in pain as she picked herself up, glaring at him. "That was mean!" she snapped.

"I haven't done anything, Sanae," he said. "So, what fiendish plan to eliminate me have you come up with this time?"

"Humph. Like heck I'm telling you! You'll just have to wait and see!" Sanae exclaimed, folding her arms and acting like she'd actually won something. Exactly what that was, Akabane had no idea. He sighed. "I don't feel like arguing with you right now. Please, just leave me be." he said, turning to go. Sanae stared after him in bewildered silence. "Hey," she said, "Are you okay?"

"I've been better." he replied simply. Sanae hurried to catch up with him and stopped him. "Is something wrong?" she asked, serious for once. "Is it Kanna?"

"Please mind your own business, Sanae," he said calmly. She grabbed his arm. He glanced back at her.

"Listen," she said, "You don't have to, but if you need someone to talk to, you know where to find me, okay?"

He gently pulled his arm away and nodded. "Thank you, Sanae, that means a lot." he said. He turned and headed away. Sanae stared after him. She couldn't help but feel badly for him. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that it wasn't good.

Later on that day, Akabane took a hunch and went up to the roof to see if maybe she'd gone there. It turned out he was right. Kanna stood over by the fence staring out over the town. She hadn't noticed him, yet. He approached cautiously. "Kanna?"

She whirled in surprise, but calmed when she saw him. "Kuroudo. I thought as much. What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you. Why are you avoiding me?" he asked.

"I just wanted to be by myself," she mumbled, turning away. He sighed, moving to stand beside her. "Are you still upset?" he asked.

"Yes. I've been paying attention. This coup is getting out of hand over there. It's in western Europe, isn't it? If you go, you likely won't come back. Just thinking about that possibility makes me ill."

"Then don't think about it." he said. "The human mind is a powerful force, Kanna. If you can convince yourself of something, it will eventually become truth to you. Convince yourself that there is no way I could die out there and I'm sure to return."

"That's ridiculous, Kuroudo. If you're trying to cheer me up, you're doing a rather poor job of it."

"Kanna, I've spoken with Director Arakawa. He agrees that my skills would greatly benefit those going to fight."

"Which is why you're in even greater danger. The medical teams are always the first to be targeted."

"That isn't always the case, Kanna." he said. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter!" she exclaimed bitterly. He sighed. "Kanna, why don't you want me to go?"

Kanna didn't reply. She just folded her arms, gazing down at the ground. "It isn't that," she muttered, "I can't explain it, but I just can't stand the thought of you going and possibly never coming back."

She turned slowly, going back downstairs. He started to follow, but stopped. Something about the way she was walking asked him not to follow her. He decided that this time, he had no other choice. He waited up on the roof, thinking. She wasn't going to hear him out, so there was really only one other way he was going to get the message across. He supposed if he was going to do it, there was no better time than the present. He glanced at his watch. It was only three P.M. He sighed. Things were not going as well as he'd hoped, that was for sure.

//ooo//

Back downstairs, he stood outside the main office where the intercoms were located. If he went through with this, Kanna wouldn't be able to just avoid it, short of going outside. But then, the entire hospital would understand. Well, it wasn't as though it really mattered.

He entered the room and nodded to the secretary working at the desk. She tilted her head in confusion. "Um, did you need something?" she asked. He smiled. "Yes, actually. I have a message for someone that I need to address over the intercom."

"Well, I guess that's fine. But what's the message?" she asked.

"Oh nothing, just a little reassurance. Is it all right?"

She shrugged. "Sure, I guess so. Did you ask the director?"

"Yes, I did. He wished me luck," Akabane said bemusedly, if only to further her confusion. She pushed the microphone stand across the counter and over to him. He pulled over another chair and sat down with a sigh. But he didn't turn the intercom on right away. The secretary shuffled nervously. "Are you okay, doctor?" she asked.

"Yes, of course," he replied pleasantly, when he felt anything but okay. To tell the truth, he was as nervous as he never thought was possible. He was about to do probably the one thing he'd never believed he'd do until now. There was only one way to convince Kanna that he would be fine and that he'd ultimately come back to her. He took a deep breath and exhaled, preparing himself. _Here goes,_ he thought. _It's now or never_.

He pressed the switch forward, turning the intercom on.

//ooo//

Kanna sat in the lobby, staring sadly at her hands. It was so confusing right now. She knew that he was right; that he was probably the best man for the job as a doctor on the battlefield in the war. But the thought of losing him was enough to make her sick to her stomach with worry. She knew she was being selfish and that just made it hurt even more. One part of her was horrified by the prospect of parting with him forever, but another part was so proud of him that she didn't even know what to do anymore. She was torn and had no way of creating a neutral balance between her two halves. She thought of Sumika and what she might have done in this situation. But that scenario was impossible to imagine; Sumika was gone. That and the fact that she'd never married because she'd been unable to have children. Her own words to Kanna had been that her chances of finding a man who didn't want kids were pretty slim, when in all actuality, Kanna figured, they were probably greater. Sumika had said she'd rather be alone than put that kind of burden on someone, so Sumika might not have been able to help her anyway.

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, watching a set of twin girls playing with blocks on the floor a few feet away. Their mother kept a close eye on them as she scanned through a magazine. The little girls soon took to throwing the blocks at one another, causing the mother to force them apart. Kanna couldn't help but smile at this little display.

The sound of static signaled the activation of the intercom. Kanna paid it no mind as she closed her eyes and folded her arms.

"_This is Dr. Akabane,_" he said over the intercom. Kanna opened her eyes and sat up a little bit, staring up at the speaker. "_I have an important message for Kannaya Miyazaki._"

Kanna's eyes widened slightly and the people in the lobby paused at this unusual page going out all through the hospital.

"_If you are in the building, Kanna, which by the way, I know you are, please listen. I know that you're skeptical of my plan in the upcoming future of becoming a surgeon of war. You don't want to believe that I may not come back. Up until now, I've done nothing but worry you, Kanna. I apologize and I offer you my best bet at convincing you that I'll come back alive and in one piece. I've come to the conclusion that this is the only thing that will convince you of how serious I am. You mean more to me than anything; I mean it. So, with everyone in this building as witness...Kanna, will you marry me?_"

All around her, people started muttering excitedly. Kanna drew in a sharp breath and stood up, drawing the attention of everyone in the lobby. Over at the counter, one of the nurses glanced over at her anxiously. "Well?" she asked. "How long are you going to keep him waiting?"

"But I don't know where he is," Kanna said. The nurse grinned. "Just give him your answer; I'm sure he can hear you," she said. Kanna blinked and then smiled, resisting the sudden urge to cry. "Well, what does he think my answer will be? Yes!" she exclaimed.

Much to Akabane's surprise, a sudden roar went up through the building, or the first floor in the very least. He'd nearly forgotten that the speakers worked both ways in that the sender could receive a verbal reply from wherever they were in the building. He stood up in surprise and turned. The secretary started laughing. "I guess you know what her answer was," she said. He smiled and turned to the door, heading out to the lobby. He could have sworn it was like some kind of reality drama or something, but when he made it outside, a bunch of people in the lobby started clapping when Kanna ran over and threw her arms around him. He hugged her tightly and smiled. "Does this mean you're finally convinced?" he asked.

"I suppose," Kanna said. "Because now, you have to come back."

"I give you my word that I will," he said, happily.

//ooo//

It was planned for the fall. Kanna said that even if he'd have been back in time, spring weddings were extremely cliché. You hardly ever heard of one in the fall and it was a forgotten season that no one really cared about. He could only laugh at her bizarre reasoning.

However, while Kanna now stated how proud she was of him (after telling him that that part of her had finally overcome the other part the day he proposed), she still worried. He had registered in the government's records as a doctor going into war to serve as medical backup to the soldiers directly on the battlefield. Kanna stopped voicing her misgivings for the sole purpose of encouragement to him, even though her nights were often spent crying herself to sleep at images of him getting hurt or worse.

One week before he was due to leave, Akabane was busy checking all of his belongings he was planning to take. They were few in number, but he liked to be prepared days before the departure. He had no idea how long he'd be gone. In all truth, their engagement would probably persist until long after the fall. Kanna stood beside the window in the room, watching the cars outside. He shut the case and glanced at her curiously. He moved to stand beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Is something wrong?" he asked. She looked up at him and smiled. "No, I'm fine. I just haven't been sleeping well," she said. He knew her well enough by now to know she was brushing him off. "Kanna, are you still worried?" he asked quietly.

"No, I told you; I'm fine." she insisted. She turned and left the room, effectively hiding her frustration from him. She truly was proud of him for what he wanted so badly to do, but she just couldn't shake her misgivings. She returned to her room and moved to sit down on the bed, pulling the ribbon from around her neck and holding it delicately. She ran her thumb across its silky surface. Since the day she'd received it from him, she hadn't taken it off except for sleep. Now, she reached back and returned it to her neck, tying it loosely. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost nine. She figured she'd try to sleep and hope for a better tomorrow. She closed the door and changed into her pajamas, climbing under the covers and curling into a ball. But even as she closed her eyes, she could somehow tell that tonight would be no different.

//ooo//

It was close to midnight. Akabane lay awake, unable to sleep and lost in thought. _Damn insomnia,_ he thought irritably. He had a hectic schedule, he couldn't afford a single minute of lost sleep. He needed every ounce of sleep he could get. He stared out the window at the quarter moon sitting high in the sky, like the eye of some wistful god watching over the earth.

_Creak!_

He gasped sharply and sat up, glaring into the darkness. "Who's there?"

He frowned when he saw Kanna standing in the doorway, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders as she trained her eyes on the floor. She visibly shook and he could see from that short distance how pale her hands were in the dim light.

"Kanna?"

"Did I wake you?" she asked quietly.

"No, I was awake. Is something the matter?" he asked. She shuffled her position in the doorway. "Can...Can I stay in here with you?" she asked quickly, but quietly. He tilted his head concernedly, but nodded. She came in slowly, still staring at the floor. She climbed up and lay down beside him, clutching her blanket around her and still shaking. He lay down and pulled her close, stroking her hair affectionately. "Are you scared?" he asked her. She looked up at him. Her eyes were red and moist. She'd been crying.

"I had a nightmare," she said. He sighed and pulled the blanket over them, hugging her tightly. He didn't need to ask what the nightmare had been about. She was still scared of his leaving.

"I've already given you my word to return," he said.

"I know. But I can't help it."

"Is this why you haven't been sleeping?"

She hesitated before replying. "Yes. I'm sorry, but I just can't stop worrying about it."

"Why not? I told you I'd return, didn't I?"

"Kuroudo, do you know why I worry so much? It's because you're all I have left. I lost my parents, my sister, grandma, and even Takeo."

"Sister, as well?" he asked, surprised. She nodded, the pain clearly still fresh in her mind. "Yeah. I had a sister at one point. My younger twin sister, Tsuruya. She died from SIDS hours after we were born."

"Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," he muttered grimly. She nodded. "I never got to really know her, but somehow, I always knew she'd existed. That's why it came as no surprise when mom and dad finally told me about her. Somehow, I'd always known that something important was missing. With all of them gone, I only have you and I'm content for it to stay that way. I couldn't bear to lose you, too."

She started to cry and he could do nothing but hold her comfortingly. Now he knew why she seemed so upset. He couldn't think of anything to say to her that might calm her. Right now, whatever he tried might just be false comfort. Finally, he sighed. "Kanna, if you don't settle down, you'll end up right back in the hospital again," he said lightly. She laughed dryly. "I suppose you're right, as usual." she muttered. She snuggled up against him and closed her eyes. He just watched her for a long while, thinking. The truth was, he was a little nervous himself. He was going to be right on the front lines attending to wounded soldiers. With some skirmishes, an unspoken rule was followed that medics be left alone during the fights. Somehow, attacking the medical team, a generally harmless crowd, condoned the ultimate low for some people. But more often than not, this rule was ignored. He was glad that she didn't know this, for the most part anyway.

He sighed heavily. Again, the thought of his last few days at the hospital before leaving made him realize exactly what would happen to him without precious sleep. Thinking about it wasn't going to help him any. He laid his head down and sighed. By this time, Kanna had finally drifted to sleep. He found her scent very comforting. She smelled like the rain just before it fell, that oddly fresh scent that mingled with the air, signaling the approaching storm. Somehow, he felt reassured himself by this. With this in mind, he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him.


	13. Imminent Separation

A/N: The memory sequence is almost done. I'm a little stuck on the end, but I'm working on it.

Imminent Separation

One day remained before the imminent departure. Akabane sat outside, staring out over the horizon, deep in thought. This was it; there was no turning back, now. The following morning, he'd go to the airport where a special plane was waiting to take him and several other people who'd signed in straight to the heart of the conflict. He had no idea what to expect, but he wasn't about to back out.

He didn't move when the sliding door slid open. Kanna slowly moved to sit down in the chair beside his, not saying a word. They both knew their time together would soon be cut short for a while.

They sat together, staring out over the city past the treeline. Even without speaking, the tension in the air was thick. He knew what was already on her mind.

"I really am proud of you, you know," she mumbled. "Sure, I don't act like it half the time, but I am proud of you."

"Kanna?"

"You're going to war not to fight, but to save those who fight. Knowing you, you'll probably help whoever needs it the most, be it friend or foe, am I right?" she said with a smile. He chuckled. "That you are, Kanna."

"Sometimes I wonder if grandma meant for this to happen," she said. "But then I realize how ridiculous that is and brush it off. She couldn't have known this would happen."

"You never know, Kanna," he said quietly. "I believe Sumika had a rather different aura. She wasn't ordinary by any means. While I do agree with you in that sense that couldn't have consciously known, there's just something about it that seems too surreal to have been an accident."

"I know what you mean," she said, "You always hear of things like this where everything goes wrong, or it works right away and gradually fades out over time. But there's just something here we can't pinpoint and maybe it's better to keep it that way. What do you think?"

He chuckled. "You're quite eloquent, Kanna. Have you ever given thought to writing?"

"No, not really. I enjoy throwing clay and painting."

"I know; I've seen you."

_The previous month, she'd gone against her personal rules and embarrassment by taking him to see her studio downtown. It was an abandoned warehouse that Sumika had secured ownership to when she realized her granddaughter was a budding artist. Upon opening it up, Akabane saw that it was filled wall to wall with canvases of all sizes, different styles and sizes of easels and tarps all over the place. In one corner sat three different kinds of ceramic wheels; electric, kick and a trimming wheel. There was a back room complete with two types of kilns, a raku kiln and a regular kiln for green and stoneware. Two large trash buckets sat next to a small counter and lamp by the wheels. She opened the lid of one and explained these were the recycle bins for the clay she didn't use. All she had to do to reuse the clay was let it soak for a while in the bin filled with water and take it out and knead it continuously until it was soft again later. She demonstrated this with a sloppy pile of wet clay from the bin. First, she fixed an apron around her chest and waist and tied her long hair back. Then, while he watched in fascination, she began to work the clay against the plaster surface on the counter. _

_ "The plaster acts as an absorbent which dries the clay out as I work it," she explained breathlessly. "I only buy new clay once every few years, and in bulk because I'm rather obsessive with recycling it. I actually prefer to 'dig' clay from the buckets than to buy new clay for when I throw," she said. _

_ "Why is that?" he asked. _

_ "Because clays of any brand are like fine wines," she told him, taking a small bowl of green powder out from the cupboard beneath the counter, "They perform better with age. Fewer air bubbles means fewer explosions inside the kiln." she joked, but he could tell she was serious. _

_ "What is that green substance?" _

_ "This is ground down clay that I dug out of the side of a cliff the last time grandma and I visited the States," she said. "I used to have a great aunt out there, but she passed away two years ago. She lived up in Tacoma, Washington on the west coast of America. The cliffs on Owen's Beach out there are constructed of pure clay that spent a great deal of its daily life underneath several feet of saltwater. This gives it a unique salt property that dries the clay out a little faster as I sprinkle it on and turns it a funny orange color in the kiln." _

_ She finished kneading the clay and pick it up. There was a thin line of fishing wire stretched across two strips of metal sticking up from the plaster. She dropped the clay over the wire, slicing it into two separate pieces. Then, she picked up a circular wooden plate of some kind lined with tools and a bowl of water, moving over to sit at one of the wheels. She glanced up at him. "You can drag a chair over if you want." she said. He nodded and did so, watching as she first removed the tools from the wooden plate and attached it to three knobs on the wheel face. She then took the sponge from the bowl of water and turned the wheel on. Using the foot pedal on the ground, she spun it rapidly, moving the sponge from the direct center, slowly down toward her without moving her hand, effectively cleaning the wheel in a single stroke. She replaced the sponge and picked up the clay, slapping it into a ball and lightly smashing it onto the wheel. _

_ "Every ceramist has her own unique way of throwing," she explained as she doused the clay with a light touch of water and started the wheel. She braced her left hand on the side of the clay and her right hand on top, exerting immense pressure as the lumpy clay gyrated erratically on its position. "There are different ways of centering clay, but this is essentially the most important part. If clay isn't centered correctly, the project is thrown off from the very start." _

_ "Centered?" he repeated in confusion. Her face had a slight sheen to it from the effort of fighting the moving clay. She doused it with water again and pressed both hands firmly into its center of gravity, forcing its posture to change mid spin. "Yes," she gasped, "Centered means that when the clay is spinning, it doesn't look like it's spinning. Do you understand?" _

_ She squished the clay down into a fat sphere on the wheel before pressing it inwards again and bringing it straight up. She did this two more times before sitting back with a heavy sigh, allowing the clay to spin freely. Akabane nodded in approval. "I see what you mean, now," he said. "From my position, it might as well be standing still." _

_ "That's the idea," she said breathlessly. Her face glowed from the exertion, giving her a strangely appealing aura. "It's actually a lot harder than it looks." _

_ "Kanna, believe me, it looks difficult. You've barely begun and you're exhausted." he said, smiling. _

_ "Oh please, this is just six pounds of clay. I've thrown fifteen pounds of clay before and that isn't easy, Kuroudo. It took me a half an hour to center that monster. The hard parts are actually about to start, so please don't talk to me in the next few minutes, okay?" _

_ She then proceeded to form her creation. With the clay moistened and still spinning, she placed both of her palms on both sides of the little mound, gently pressing her thumbs perfectly straight down the center. She then moved her left hand so her right hand cupped the mound while her left hand gently pushed outward, widening the hole at the top and creating a thin space inside the clay. Then, she gently placed her index finger at the base on the outside of the project, doing the same with her other hand on the inside. A thin ring formed on the outside of the mound and she slowly guided the ring up the side of the clay until it peaked at the top, widening and increasing the project's height. She pulled the clay up in this manner three more times until it was about a foot tall, a perfect cylinder. Next, she pulled a strangely shaped, almost triangular tool from the table next to her and laid its straight side against the cylinder. She ran it slowly up and down it, smoothing it out. Then, she slowly lowered her left arm into the opening, gently pushing out against the clay so that it met the tool, forming a bulge in the cylinder that extended all around gracefully. _

_ "This tool is called a rib," she explained. She pulled her hand out and smoothed the sides down. She she braced her fingers a few inches down from the rim of the new vase. She pressed in with her right finger, curling the lip down with her left. She smoothed it down again and then picked up another tool. This one was a long wooden stick. "This is the pointy-stick tool. No joke!" she said, smiling. With the blunted, spooned edge on the other side, and with a few swift, graceful flicks of her wrist, she'd created an unusual pattern of swirling gouges in the side of the vase. She then stopped the wheel and turned it off. She jammed the pointy edge of the tool underneath the wooden bat fixed to the wheel. She wrenched it free from the wet sloppy clay sealing it down and stood up. She moved over to the counter beneath the window and placed it next to a small portable fan. She turned this on and then cleaned the clay off her hands with the apron. She smiled. "And that's that," she said. _

_ "Quite impressive, Kanna," Akabane said, "I must say, you look perfectly at home in this place." _

_ Kanna actually blushed, much to both of their surprise. "Thanks," she said cheerfully. "I'll leave that to dry until tonight and I'll come back and detach it from the bat. Then, I'll set it to dry on top of the kiln for a night and fire it tomorrow." _

_ "I look forward to seeing it when it's finished," he said. Kanna nodded and then her face perked up. "Oh! I almost forgot! I left the kiln to cool a while back and never unloaded it. I'd better do that right now." _

_ She hurried back into the kiln room, her tied hair flying behind her as she disappeared inside. He followed her, curious. _

_ She was struggling with the clearly heavy lid of the kiln. She worked it up into an upright position and secured it in place against the stone wall. Then, she reached in and pulled out a beautifully painted ceramic pot. _

_ "I made this some time ago, but never got around to glazing it until recently. Unlike some ceramists, I do all my green ware throwing in a single kiln, whereas I use the raku kiln for raku throwing." _

_ "What is raku, exactly?" he asked. _

_ "It's a process where projects are fired at extremely high temperatures and then removed at their maximum heat. The man who taught me to use the raku kiln often worked side by side with a wood shop. They provided him with the wood chips and sawdust he needed to cool the projects with. See that trash can behind you?" _

_ He turned. "Yes. It's charred." _

_ "When I remove a raku project, it's red hot and fragile. I place it into that trash can and cover it with saw dust. This prevents it from cracking under its heavy stress." _

_ She continued removing projects from the kiln, each one as intricate and beautiful as the last. Finally, she took the last piece out and closed the kiln. She turned, dusting her hands off. "All done," she chimed. _

_ "You do fine work, Kanna." he said. _

_ "Thank you. If you see something you like here, feel free to take it with you," she said. "I usually end up selling them at yearly craft sales and such." _

_ "Thank you, I'll do that." he said, smiling. _

"I remember watching you," Akabane told her, "You seem most at peace in your studio."

"I suppose that's because it's true," she said. "I never got a chance to show you, but I've been working on the 'Mireille' series more, the one my grandma started. I've got the final painting sketched out on canvas in the studio. I plan to start working on it as soon as possible."

"I can hardly wait to see it." he said. He pulled her close, doing his best to enjoy their last night together for a long time.

"What time do you have to be there?" she asked quietly.

"I have to board the plane by nine in the morning," he said.

"I'm going too," she said, "I'd like to see you off."

"Kanna, that would-" he started to say. She shook her head, cutting him off. "No, I want to see you off. You're going willingly into a dangerous situation. I want you to have something to remember, as well as a good reason to return."

He smiled and lightly kissed her forehead. "Kanna, you know that I'll come back," he said for what seemed like the millionth time.

"I know. But I'm still coming, whether you like it or not, Kuroudo," she said, amusement evident in her voice. He didn't often understand his reasons for loving her as much as he did, but times like this often gave him vague hints.

"Very well, I suppose you can win this time," he told her. Kanna nodded in triumph. "Oh, good, I'm glad to hear it," she said sarcastically.

Akabane rolled his eyes.

//ooo//

Due to recurring nightmares in varying degrees, Kanna had taken to sleeping in his room. Comforted by his presence, she fell into deep slumber relatively quickly. He, on the other hand, often lay awake thinking. Now, for instance, in the morning, he'd have to wake up, go to the airport and board a plane to a country he might never return from. Kanna had been right to worry, but he wasn't going to back down. He'd proposed to her as a way of calming both her worries and his own. He knew that now, no matter what, he was coming back. Even with this, he still felt uneasy. But worrying wouldn't do him any good, so he decided he'd try to sleep and do his best to make it, no matter what happened.

//ooo//

The following morning, he glanced around the entire place to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, even though, somewhere deep inside his mind, he knew he hadn't. He knew he was just stalling. Kanna was already up after catching him trying to leave without her. He'd asked what she planned to do in his absence. She told him that she'd stay there, that she felt safer than at Sumika's old condo. She said that she'd spend her time in the studio where she could work without distractions. But like him, she'd also developed a weird personal language. What she _really_ meant was that she could work mindlessly and not have to think about what he was doing.

As they drove to the airport, Kanna didn't say too much. There wasn't much to be said. After all, what were you supposed to say to someone who you knew you might never see again.

He shook his head. He had to stop thinking about that. He'd promised that he'd come back, no matter what.

Kanna was so lost in thought that she didn't notice when they'd arrived. Akabane had arranged for a coworker to come and pick up Kanna, seeing how she'd refused to stay behind. So in the meantime, she waited with him at the gate until it was time to board. All around were others who signed on along with him. Most of them were the medical team, a few of whom Akabane was familiar with. One woman approached and introduced herself as an old classmate of his, Hotaru Nanoue. He distinctly remembered her and introduced her to Kanna. Hotaru seemed a little concerned once Kanna was introduced, but shook it off and went back to join the others. Kanna, however, became a little concerned herself. Was Hotaru wondering why she'd been brought there? But Akabane just pulled her closer and smiled at her fondly. "There's nothing to worry about, Kanna." he said.

"I know. You keep saying that," Kanna joked falsely. She sighed and turned so she faced him. "Listen, once you get there, call me if you're able. If you can't, then write, okay?"

"I promise to contact you anyway I can," he said, gripping her shoulders gently. She nodded, though she didn't seem to be all that reassured.

Right then, the call went out for them to begin boarding. He glanced back. This was it. When he looked back at her, he was surprised to see she was smiling, but un-shed tears were forming in her eyes. "I hope things go well," she said, "I'm proud of you,"

Pushing back the growing knot in his own chest, he pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "Thank you, Kanna," he said quietly. "You'll see; I'll be back and we can start planning. Okay?"

She nodded, gripping his hand tightly. He pulled away and joined the group boarding the plane. He cast a last glance back at her and smiled. Kanna waved as he disappeared in the passageway. Once everyone had boarded, Kanna went to the window and watched as the plane was prepped for departure, pushed into position on the runway and began its slow run into position to await permission take off. She kept moving along the windows, watching until finally, the plane was given permission and accelerated along the runway until it was nearly out of sight, pushing off into the air just before it left her line of vision.

"Be careful," Kanna muttered as the plane disappeared into the sky.


	14. Two Reasons

A/N: I am so incredibly happy!! I found a friend online that I haven't seen in almost eight years!! Circumstances involved in our separation had to have been difficult for him, so I hope he was doing okay all this time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

Two Reasons

What had gone wrong? What? No matter how many times Kanna went over it, she couldn't figure out what might have happened to him.

She'd spent the whole of that single Saturday in her studio, four months after he'd left. She'd done nothing but paint and dig clay, listening to music on her little CD player and keeping her mind trained on nothing but her art. She kept promising herself and him that she'd stop worrying. She must have loaded unloaded the kiln sixty times since he left. If she wasn't careful, she'd overheat it one of these days. Kilns were expensive to buy and equally costly to maintain and repair. A single conductor replacement could cost several thousand yen. But her methods worked and she'd gone this long without worrying.

Upon returning that night, however, she was shocked to see the door ajar, the key stuck in the lock. Her heart began to beat wildly in fear. Had someone broken in? She hurried forward and inspected the key in the lock. No, there was no mistaking it. This key ring belonged to him. But that didn't make sense. The war was only getting worse. There was no way he'd be back already. She felt her skin crawl in fear as she gingerly stepped inside, gripping the edges of her coat so tightly, her knuckles whitened.

"Hello?" she called anxiously, "Kuroudo? Are...are you back, already?"

Something was wrong, here. There was just no mistaking the key ring, which she knew he'd taken with him when he left. There was no other explanation as to why it would be in the lock other than that he'd returned extremely early. Her blood ran cold when the thought crossed her mind that he may have been injured and discharged indefinitely. But then, wouldn't he be at the hospital? And wouldn't she have gotten a call from someone?

She turned into the hallway. Of the three rooms, the guest room, his room and a small space he'd converted into a study, only the last of the three had its door shut. Approaching cautiously, heart hammering, she made her way to the study and attempted to open the door. It was unlocked, but a sharp crashing sound inside stopped her going in. She drew a quick breath and pulled her hand away.

"Kuroudo?" she called. "Are you in there?"

There was no answer. Kanna frowned concernedly and knocked on the door. "Kuroudo, it's me, Kanna. Are you okay? What's happened?"

Still no answer. Bordering panic, Kanna knocked again, somewhat harder. "Kuroudo! What's wrong? Please, say something! I know you're in there! Please!"

"_Get out of here._"

Kanna paused. He'd answered her, but something wasn't right. Had he told her to get out of there?

"What did you say?" she asked.

"_Get out, Kanna._"

Kanna stepped back, shaking her head. "But, what's wrong? Is it something I did? What happened?" she asked.

"_I said get out!" _

Kanna frowned and pounded on the door. "No! What's wrong with you? Why are you back without any warning and what's happened?" she exclaimed. When he didn't answer, she sighed shakily. "I'm sorry, but I'm coming in," she said. She turned the knob.

As she opened the door, it was suddenly hurled outward with incredible force, striking her sharply on her head and throwing her back. She cried out in pain as she slammed against the wall, sinking to the floor and clutching her head painfully. Breathing raggedly, she looked up to see him standing in the doorway, glaring down at her.

"I said get out," he hissed. Kanna just blinked, pulling her hand away from her head. She felt something warm slide past her eye and when she looked at her hand, she gasped at the sight of the dark, fresh blood dripping through her fingers. She looked up at him in fear and disbelief.

"W-What's going on?" she stammered. "Kuroudo, what are you doing?" she exclaimed, backing up against the wall. There was something very wrong with him; his eyes were no longer the same. They were colder, filled with a deep sense of hatred and...something else she couldn't place. He took a step toward her, staring down at her. His breathing was ragged and uneven. His hands shook furiously and he appeared not to even recognize her. As she watched, he brought his fist up and flicked his wrist. She jumped sharply when four knife-like objects shot out between his fingers.

Scalpels.

He knelt down and braced the knives up against the soft flesh of her neck. She cringed backward, horrified. "What are you doing?" she asked in a breaking voice. He seemed not to hear her as one of the scalpels broke her skin, drawing a thin line of blood. She winced and curled into a protective ball, shaking.

"Please don't...." she whispered, watching him from the corner of her eye. His eyes flickered for an instant, his hand twitched and he stood up, bracing against the door frame. He turned away, his face shadowed. "Get out, _now_," he growled. Kanna shakily stood up, her legs refusing to obey her as she struggled to her feet. She ignored the steady stream of blood seeping out from the gash at her hairline, staring at him. "What's happened to you?" she whispered.

"I'm not going to warn you again. Get out of here, right now!" he snapped. He raised the scalpels threateningly, taking another step toward her. Kanna moved back reflexively, intense pain and betrayal shining in her eyes. This wasn't him, she tried to convince herself. This wasn't him. This wasn't the same man she loved more than anything; this was some imposter posing as him. She shook her head, her vision clouding up through her tears. "No, no, this isn't you," she said, "This isn't you. Kuroudo, please, just tell me what's wrong! Is there anything I can do to help?"

She screamed when he suddenly lunged at her, slicing a deep gash into her shoulder. She stumbled back and fell to the floor, whimpering in pain. "What's wrong with you?" she choked out, "What happened? Why are you doing this to me?"

But even as she met his eyes, she saw no answer. He just glared at her like she was nothing more than an enemy he intended to kill at all costs.

Moaning in pain, clutching her injured shoulder, she braced against the wall, heaving herself to her feet. Her instincts told her to fight back, to protect herself. But she knew that there was no way she could do that. Even if he seemed to be dead set on killing her for some reason, she still loved him.

"Okay," she muttered. She felt her fresh tears mixing with the blood on her face. Her shirt was stained in it all down the right side. "Okay, Kuroudo, I'm going, if that's what you want. I don't know what brought this on, but I'm going."

She slowly moved toward the door, watching him every step of the way. She spoke calmly, softly. She didn't want to go through this anymore. "I'm going," she said again, turning her back on him to move out the door. She knew that by taking her eyes off him, she was taking an enormous gamble. Knowing this, she stepped out into the hallway and grasped the doorknob. He'd lowered the scalpels, but continued to glower at her as she pulled the key ring free and tossed it inside. Then, she slowly closed the door behind her.

She waited outside for a few minutes, but he never opened the door again. Something told her that it was in her best interests to leave. She wanted to stay and try to help him, but he'd attacked her with no hesitation. Had she done something to anger him? Ignoring the sting of her wounds and the forming hole in her heart, she turned and headed for the elevator.

There was only one place left to go where she could be safe.

//ooo//

As she made her way along the street, passersby paused to stare in horror at her blood soaked clothing and face. She ignored all of them, even those that tried to stop her and inquire on her welfare. When this happened, she just brushed them aside and continued on until she reached the warehouse where her studio lay waiting. She unlocked and opened the door, stepping inside and closing it. She turned on the lights and moved toward the shelves filled with her thrown projects. She glanced at her easel where the final painting of Mireille sat beneath its tarp, waiting to be brought to life, preserved for eternity in oil. Her wheels, prepped and ready to be used again, sat bereft in the corner.

Reaching out, her fingers brushed badly against one of the glazed pots and it toppled from the shelf, shattering into hundreds of razor sharp fragments on the concrete floor. She did this to two more pots and vases, staring at the broken wreckage at her feet numbly. Turning, she made her way into the kiln room. The main kiln glowed brightly, as she'd turned it on earlier that day. It was only at four hundred degrees. Kanna reached out and grasped the lid's handle, hoisting it up and ignoring the searing heat wave that blasted out of the kiln into her unprotected face. She dropped the lid against the wall and stared into the orange furnace roaring in front of her. Dimly aware of what she was doing, her fingers brushed her neck, clasping around the ribbon she still had tied there. She gently pulled it free, dangling it over the open kiln, staring at it blankly, her eyes dead. It slid a few inches through her fingers, dangerously close to the mild inferno, powerful enough to melt the delicate silk.

Just before it slipped completely, Kanna gasped and clutched the ribbon tightly, yanking it back and falling down against the wall, taking deep, shaking breaths as a fresh stream of tears erupted from her eyes. She held the ribbon close against her chest, sobbing.

She shut the kiln off, effectively messing up the projects stored away inside. But right then, she didn't care. This place was nothing more than reminder, now. She reached up and swiped a fair amount of drying blood from her forehead, clenching her fist. Then, with a despairing cry, she whipped her hand in a sharp arc, sending hundreds upon hundreds of needle-sharp blood fragments flying into the shelves where her thrown projects sat innocently awaiting their fate. The shelves crumbled, the pots, vases and other assorted creations toppling to the ground in a deafening crash. Upon seeing the destruction, Kanna collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. This was it. She was finally all alone. She had no one, now.

Kanna stumbled out of her studio, shutting and locking it behind her. Despite destroying half the studio, she couldn't bring herself to destroy Mireille. Mireille would simply have to wait in limbo until Kanna finally mustered up the courage to finish her.

She stumbled into the alley out back, no destination planned in particular. She knew she could go back to Sumika's. It was the only place left to her, now that she'd been chased away. She didn't want to go back, but judging from the dark clouds rolling in above her, she figured she had no choice.

As she was making her way out of the alley, she heard a slight clunk come from one of the dumpsters beside the studio warehouse. She glanced in the general direction, almost too numb to care. But when she heard that distinctive sound, the squeaking and mewing, she blinked and tilted her head. To the naked eye, there was nothing to be seen in the dark alley except for the dumpster and a few garbage bags. But when she looked more closely, she saw them; two pairs of eyes watching her from beneath the dumpster. Kanna turned, staring down as a tiny pink nose poked out, sniffed the air in her direction and then zipped back underneath. She watched when, after a few minutes, a tiny, dirty, muddy black ball crawled out from beneath the dumpster, followed by an equally tiny, muddy silvery ball. The silver one cowered at the sight of her, but the black one bounced forward and took a playful swipe at her legs. Kanna stepped back disinterestedly. Without a glance back, she turned and headed off, aware of the fact that she was being followed. She paused several feet away and turned around. Both kittens were following her, the silver one more reluctantly, but clearly more afraid of being left alone by its sibling than it was of her.

She stared down at them as they gazed up at her, squeaking and tilting their heads.

"Where's your mother?" she asked them quietly.

The black kitten just squeaked in reply, its silver companion shivering behind it.

"Are you all alone?" Kanna mumbled. As if in reply, the black kitten squeaked again and sat down, tilting its head at her. Kanna slowly made her way back over and knelt down on the muddy ground, gazing down at them blankly. The black kitten crouched down, its tiny bottom wiggling as it stalked her feet. It pounced forward, grabbing the toe of her shoe in its mouth and sinking its tiny baby teeth into it.

Automatically, Kanna reached down and gently stroked the kitten's back. Its back arched as it rubbed against her hand, purring loudly. The silver one, curious about the attention the black one was getting, padded forward cautiously, sniffing Kanna carefully.

"You've been abandoned too, haven't you?" Kanna whispered. "You're all alone in the world."

The black one sniffed the dried blood on her hand and began to lick her hand tenderly. Kanna petted it again and then gently scooped both it and the silver one into her arms, hugging them and crying silently into their fur. The silver one squeaked in surprise and the black one tugged on a loose strand of her hair.

"If...," Kanna mumbled hoarsely, "If your mama isn't around...I'll take care of you."

She held them back at half arms' length and gazed down at them. They blinked up at her expectantly. Kanna sniffed and blinked her right eye free of dried blood. "Is-is that all right with you two?"

The black kitten mewed loudly, gently nibbling her thumb. The silver one just blinked and squeaked up at her before yawning widely and snuggling down into her arms. She straightened up, holding the kittens tightly.

"Don't worry," she whispered as she headed out of the alley, toward Sumika's old home, "I won't abandon you. I'll be your mother, now. You'll never be alone again."

Once she got into the street, she glanced back just once at the building where the one person she thought she could always trust to protect her now faced some new challenge on his own, by his own choice, without her help. Forcing back the tears threatening to break free, she cuddled the two kittens closer and watched as they soon fell asleep in her arms.

"I'll take care of you," she murmured to them, "You're safe, now, my little ones."

And with that, Kanna turned her back on everything, determined to keep her good memories as she wished him luck with whatever trials he was dealing with at the moment. She hoped he'd remember what she told him; that she'd always love him, no matter what. As dearly as she missed him already, she now had other, two more important matters to attend to, sleeping peacefully in her arms as she forged a new path for herself in the years to come, by herself.

//ooo//

Ms. Miyazaki sighed and shifted her legs, stroking Yuki's fur absently. He purred loudly and kneaded his paws against her leg as his sister, Miki, dozed beside Ms. Miyazaki on the sofa.

"And that's all," Ms. Miyazaki muttered, "There's nothing more to tell."

Himiko sat speechless, unable to utter even a single sound. Hevn just stared at Ms. Miyazaki in a mixture of sadness and disbelief while Ginji absorbed all of this new information and Natsumi gazed down at the floor, lost in thought.

"But that's...." Himiko muttered, finally finding her voice, "The Jackal, he...I mean, I knew he could be pretty gruesome when working but I never believed he was that heartless. And to think he was such a different person then. It's mind-boggling."

"He outright attacked you?" Natsumi exclaimed in disbelief. "Just like that?"

"Just like that. To this day, I still don't know what happened to him over there. I do my best not to meet him if I can help it. Just the thought of him is painful. But I know that if I'd chosen to stay and try to help, he'd probably have killed me."

She hoisted Yuki into her arms and stood up, moving to the kitchen. She dumped him unceremoniously onto the counter and got out the kettle to brew some tea.

Ginji clenched his fist and got to his feet. "That's...that's just not right!" he exclaimed. "I can't accept this."

"Ginji, settle down," Hevn said calmly. But Ginji shook his head, pacing. "Dang it. We answer one question and we're left with dozens more." he muttered.

"Don't worry about it," Ms. Miyazaki called from the kitchen. "It's not a big deal. I've gotten over it."

"No you haven't," Ginji protested, "You're as hurt now as you were then."

"As I recall, how I feel is my own business," Ms. Miyazaki said calmly, making a small show of replacing a sharp knife into its drawer. Ginji swallowed nervously and frowned. "But-" he started to say. She cut him off with a sharp glare. "I said to drop it," she snapped. As she turned, he caught sight of a strange scar on her forehead, just below her hairline. As Hevn, Himiko and Natsumi watched anxiously, he stalked forward and grabbed her wrist. She froze, making no move to free herself.

"Why won't you let us help?" he asked.

"Gin," Hevn warned cautiously.

Ms. Miyazaki sighed heavily. "Because there's nothing you can do," she told him.

"Ms. Miyazaki, you do realize that by refusing our help, you're doing the same thing that Akabane did to you, right?"

At that, her eyes widened a fraction and she yanked her wrist from his grasp. "Ginji, you're a very caring person and you clearly have my welfare in mind when you offer to help me. But face it; it's too late. The two of us have moved on. He hurt me too badly for the damage to be fixed, so there's nothing you can do. Do you understand?"

Ginji watched as she checked the kettle to see if the water was boiling and then got down five mugs for the tea.

"You still love him,"

Ms. Miyazaki paused. Ginji hadn't said that.

Himiko had.

Ms. Miyazaki turned in surprise, staring at Himiko blankly. "What?"

"You told us before you started your story," she said quietly, getting up and moving to stand just outside the kitchen, "As much as Akabane creeps me, Maguruma and everyone else out, it's clear that something's been wrong with him from the start. You're the exact same way, just on a slightly different level."

Ms. Miyazaki turned sharply. "I don't have the slightest idea what you're talking about," she mumbled.

"Don't give me that," Himiko grumbled. "I worked with the guy. I always wondered why he spent so much time staring into space and tuning everything out except when he wanted to kill something. After hearing your story, I get it now. He spends all that time brooding over what happened, don't you get it? He's never said a word, but he's not as good at hiding things as he probably thinks he is. After all, when you're stuck with the same people for days on end doing transport work, you tend to notice things."

"See?" Ginji said. "There's still a chance. If you could just-"

But Ms. Miyazaki suddenly flung her arm to the side and lashed the kettle of boiling water at Ginji who yelled and charged up an electrical frequency to strike the kettle, sending it flying into the wall. The water seeped along beneath their feet as they stared at her. Her eyes were wild as she glared at Ginji. "Enough! That's enough, all of you! Get out and leave me alone!"

Everyone hesitated, glancing at each other nervously.

"Now," she gritted out. Slowly, they filed toward the door, averting their eyes from her as they went. Only Ginji cast a sad glance back at her as they left. But strangely, his determination to get to the bottom of this didn't fade, even as the door slammed shut behind them. As they made their way out of the building and back in the direction of the Honky Tonk, Ginji frowned. There was something that just didn't add up here and he was determined to find out what it was. He was positive there was still time.

Ms. Miyazaki stumbled into the bathroom, leaning on the counter and staring at her reflection in the mirror. She reached up and pulled the collar of her shirt back, revealing the ugly scar she'd received when he attacked her. She pushed her bangs back to show the spot where the door had collided with her head. Even though the physical pain had long since dissipated, she still felt it gnawing away at her. The stunningly true points given by Himiko and Ginji echoed through her mind, bringing forth the emotions she'd been sure she buried. Futilely resisting the urge to cry, she sank to the floor, hugging her knees and just wishing to disappear from the world, even as Yuki and Miki padded in to keep her company and remind her of her two reasons why she still lived in the first place.


	15. Two Sides of The Same Coin

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. My computer got a virus and I'm actually pretty lucky I got it working again. I'd like to finish this story soon so I can start updating a new side story I'm working on called A Simple Memory. It's for Hellsing, one of my all time favorites.

Two Sides of The Same Coin

Paul glanced from Natsumi, who stood drying the same glass for twenty minutes, to Ginji who sat at the counter with his head in his arms, to Ban who stood over by the door, smoking a cigarette. Paul sighed. "Come on, guys, snap out of it already. I've seen more pep in a mausoleum, for crying out loud."

"Sorry, chief," Natsumi mumbled, still drying the same glass. Paul reached over and took it from her, handing her another wet one from the sink. "Natsumi, I'm not surprised at this from them, but you are a different story. Ever since you guys got back last week, you've been dead to the world."

"We can't help it," Ginji mumbled, "Ms. Miyazaki finally lost her patience with us and chased us out. She threw a kettle of boiling water at me."

"Can't say I blame her. You must have done _something _to make her mad. But now that I've gotten you talking, what'd you find out while you were there? You never told me."

"Ms. Miyazaki told us what happened," Natsumi muttered, "How they met and all that. Ginji was right; it was the war that messed everything up."

"And we haven't seen her since then," Ginji said. "We're at a dead end because she won't let us help her."

"Maybe she doesn't want help. Did you ever think of that?" Paul asked. Ginji frowned. "I did think of that, but have any of you guys noticed how miserable she is? Everything she does now is a fake to hide how sad she is. I can't just sit by and let her keep suffering like this."

"Hey," Ban said, "You do realize that you're attempting to help Jackal, right?"

"Well, yes. But now that I think about it, he seemed a little fake, too. Remember? When we first met Ms. Miyazaki?"

"Yeah," Ban mumbled, "I remember. He definitely wasn't afraid of that fox thing, or whatever she was."

"Yeah!" Ginji exclaimed, "And don't forget, when that guy attacked her body while she was the fox, he defended her, right? I mean, come on, this is Akabane we're talking about."

Ban regarded him seriously for a moment and sighed. "You're sure determined to fix this, huh, Ginji?" he said. "Well, if you think about it, we're not at a total dead end. There is one more option."

"Yeah? What is it?" Ginji asked excitedly. Ban peered at him over his glasses. "For starters, I have no intention of getting overly involved in this. Ms. Miyazaki didn't come to us asking for a recovery, so you're essentially on your own with this case, is that okay?"

"Sure, it's fine. I want to see if I can fix it. Now, what's that option?" Ginji asked.

"Simple. You've got her side of the story. Now go and get Akabane's side of the story."

Ginji froze up with a weird choking noise. His hand twitched and he slid to the floor. "I have to get A-Akabane's side of the s-story?" he stuttered. Ban nodded once. "Yup. It's the only thing to do. And seeing how today we had a job, you can have the day off to go and find him. He's bound to be around here, somewhere."

Ginji struggled to his feet, staring at Ban in terror. "I have to go by myself?"

"Yup. Remember? A client came to us yesterday asking us to retrieve his prized show dog from some big rival. But you can have the day off to pursue your little mission of mercy and I'll take care of this one myself."

Ginji sighed heavily and plunked his head down on the counter. "T-Thanks, Ban, how can I ever repay you?" he grumbled. Ban chuckled. "Simple. Don't get your head sliced off when you talk to him." he said. Ginji scowled and glowered at his friend. "Gee, thanks, I'll remember that," he snapped. He sighed. "Natsumi, do you want to come with me?"

"I'd love to, Ginji, but I'm afraid I've got a ton of work to do," she said. "Good luck, though."

Ban reached down and pulled Ginji to his feet. "Well, Mr. Cupid guy, better head out for the second phase of your plan."

Ginji gulped as he headed for the door. "Uh, are you sure you don't want to come along, Ban?" he asked nervously.

"Come on, Ginji, you've beaten the guy before; it's fine," Ban said. "Besides, if you're in trouble, just let me know, got it?"

Ginji smiled and nodded. "Got it. Thanks, Ban. Okay, wish me luck," he said, heading outside. As he got out of sight of the cafe, however, he started to think. "Wait," he said, "I don't even know where to start looking. For all I know, he might have left Shinjuku already."

He sighed heavily. "I guess all I can do is wander the city and hope I spot him. It's not like he's hard to miss, after all. Aw, jeez, I can't believe I'm going _looking_ for this guy!" he exclaimed, scratching his head furiously with both hands. And with that, he started off.

The south district yielded nothing but a pack of stray dogs who chased Ginji for well over twenty minutes, yapping madly.

The west district had nothing either. By the time he reached the border of the north and west district, he'd about given up hope. He sat on a bench by the bus stop and sighed. "This is hopeless. I'm never gonna find him. He's just not here." he moaned.

"Pardon me, but might I ask who you're looking for?"

Ginji sighed again. "I'm looking for someone I know. But he doesn't actually live in Shinjuku and I have no idea if he's even here right now."

"You never know. Can you describe him? Perhaps I can help you find him."

"Yeah, he's got a black hat and-" Ginji started to say as he turned, freezing in shock. "A-Akabane!" he exclaimed. Akabane smiled, tilting his hat back slightly. "Hello, Ginji," he said, "I gather from your description that you were looking for me," he said pleasantly.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I was." Ginji muttered. _Although I was kinda hoping I wouldn't find you,_ he thought with a sigh. He stood up, keeping the bench between him and Akabane. "I guess you're still hanging around in Shinjuku," he said lamely.

"Yes. I dislike this city, but due to circumstances, I seem to spend quite a lot of time here."

"Yeah, I noticed," Ginji mumbled. "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm between jobs at the moment," Akabane answered, "I simply don't feel up to the train ride back home right now,"

"Do you still live up in Hokkaido?" Ginji asked. Akabane's eyes narrowed and he frowned. "How did you know that I live in Hokkaido?" he asked suspiciously. Ginji sighed. "Long story. Listen, I can't believe I'm doing this, but would you like to have a drink with me or something? There's something I need to ask you about,"

He chuckled lightly, "Ginji, I'd be delighted," he said.

//ooo//

A nearby restaurant seemed safe enough for Ginji, seeing how he really didn't want to be around Akabane without Ban. He sat on one side of the booth, stirring his cola with his straw, casting occasional glances at Akabane who sat on the other side, seemingly half asleep watching the steam curl up from his tea.

"So," he said pleasantly, "What is it you wished to talk to me about, Ginji?"

Ginji hummed, wondering where to begin. "Mr. Akabane, I wanted to ask you about...about Kanna," he said. Akabane had been stirring a packet of sweetener into his tea and he froze the second Ginji mentioned her.

"How...," he muttered, "How do you know about her?" his voice was strained, as though he were having a difficult time maintaining his calm demeanor.

"Do you remember that escort assignment I had a couple of weeks ago? Kannaya Miyazaki was the assassin I was assisting that night. Besides that, I met her that night at the shrine, remember?"

"True. But I don't recall her introducing herself," Akabane said quietly, sipping his tea. He visibly cringed and took another sugar packet. Ginji snickered. "Too bitter, huh?"

"Yes." Akabane answered simply.

Ginji sighed and took a drink of his cola. "Listen, Mr. Akabane," he said, "I don't only know about Kanna, I met Andrew McCarthy, too. He told us everything he knew, including about how you and Kanna were engaged at one point." he said seriously.

" Ah, Andrew," Akabane muttered, "Always one who couldn't sit still for more than a minute."

"I take it you remember him," Ginji said. Akabane smirked wryly. "Really now, how could I forget? He was always quite enthusiastic and a bit too strong for his own good,"

Ginji blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"He cracked one of my ribs, once."

Ginji just stared. "Uh, okay then. Sorry."

"There's no need to apologize, my dear Ginji. Although he was a good friend, I rarely see him nowadays."

"Well, you missed him just a few weeks ago. Himiko tracked him down and he told us what he knew."

"So you said. I gather you've already spoken to Kanna, then?" he mumbled.

"Yeah, last week. She told us her side of the story. This brings me to my question."

Akabane watched him carefully. Ginji got the distinct feeling that Akabane knew what he was going to say.

"I want to know your version," Ginji said.

"I see," Akabane muttered after a few minutes' hesitation. He sipped his tea and sighed. "I apologize, Ginji, but I would prefer to refrain from speaking of this."

"Why? Kanna gave me the same answer when I asked her. Akabane, she told us that when you got back from the war only four months after you left, you went crazy and attacked her. I already said she told us everything, including how you got that scar on your shoulder and chest." Ginji said, scowling. Akabane's head was inclined, the rim of his hat covering his face so Ginji couldn't see his expression. He continued, "You got that scar trying to protect her from her cousin. You saved her life, Mr. Akabane."

Akabane didn't say anything. Ginji sighed heavily. "Are you listening to me?" he asked. A slight nod from the Jackal surprised Ginji. "Did you know that Kanna still loves you?" he asked. This time, Akabane didn't respond whatsoever. Ginji scratched his head in frustration. "Come on, Jackal, what happened?"

"I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not Jackal," Akabane said suddenly. Ginji started in surprise and confusion. "Huh? What do you mean you're not Jackal? That's your alias, right?"

Akabane fell silent again. Without a word, he got to his feet, leaving the money for his drink on the table as he started toward the door. Ginji first stared after him and then quickly dug through his pocket for some money. He dropped a random amount on the table, hoping it was the right amount as he took off after him.

"Wait a second, Akabane! Hold it!" he called, pushing through the crowd. "Hey, come on, hold it! Wait up, will you!?"

But Akabane disappeared into the crowd and Ginji grumbled to himself. How was he supposed to make any headway when the guy kept ignoring him? Sure, he'd actually prefer things that way, but he'd given himself a special job and he wasn't about to blow it. Besides, what Akabane said had really confused him. What did he mean when he said he wasn't Jackal? Most people knew him by his alias, so what did he mean?

Once the crowd passed a bit, Ginji strained over the few remaining heads just in time to see him turn at the corner. He took off after him, reaching the corner as he made it to the bridge overlooking the interstate leading out of Shinjuku and the bridge facing out toward the Limitless Fortress. Ginji scrambled toward him, cutting in front of him and blocking his path. Akabane just stared at him from beneath his hat. "Yes?" he muttered.

"Don't just ignore me like that when I'm trying to ask you something!" Ginji exclaimed irritably.

Akabane regarded him seriously, not saying anything as Ginji caught his breath. He turned and gazed out the Limitless Fortress looming in the late afternoon sun. "Do you plan on giving up anytime soon?" he asked Ginji.

"Oh come on, what do you think?" Ginji asked, baffled. Akabane chuckled. "I suppose that was a rather pointless inquiry on my part. But tell me something. Even if you acquired the information you desire, would it be of any use to you?" He said. Ginji grinned.

"Come on, Mr. Akabane, I'm only doing my job. Sometimes seemingly pointless information comes with the territory. You understand, right?" Ginji said, grinning. Akabane smiled lightly and sighed. "My dear boy, you are quite the nuisance when you want to be. Very well, if you want to know a little, I'll be happy to fulfill your wish."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." Ginji said. Akabane nodded and Ginji could have sworn that a rather warm, amused shine appeared in Akabane's eyes for just a moment before he tilted his head, hiding his face beneath his hat once again. He paused, as if deciding where to begin and what to tell him. Ginji didn't get his hopes up too far.

"Ginji," he said finally, ponderously, "Do you know what it's like to be in love?"

Ginji blinked. "Huh?"

"To put it bluntly, to experience the joys of living solely for the sake of another, where all you desire in life is the happiness of the one closest to you?"

"No, actually, not in the same sense, anyway," Ginji said. Akabane gazed outward in the direction of the Limitless Fortress, a faraway expression on his face.

"I see."

"Are you talking about Kanna?" Ginji asked.

"Yes," Akabane answered. "It's been a little over five years, now, but I recall those days rather fondly on occasion."

"Before you left?" Ginji said.

"Precisely. I must confess that I do think about her from time to time, wondering how life has treated her since we parted ways."

"Um, Mr. Akabane, she told us that after you got back, you attacked her." Ginji said quietly. Akabane turned away, pulling the rim of his hat down. Ginji probed further, "Is that true?" he asked.

"It is. When I returned after a mere four months, I recall threatening her rather viciously. I suppose that may be what drove her away, in the end."

Ginji just watched him as he pulled a small watch out of his pocket and glanced at it. He realized that Akabane was uncomfortable and finding reasons to fidget. It was so out of character for him that in a different kind of scenario, it might have been funny.

"Mr. Akabane?" Ginji said. He turned, his face blank of all expression. "Yes?" he said. Ginji hesitated before answering. "You still love Kanna, don't you?"

Akabane just pulled his hat down further and sighed irritably. "You're quite right, Ginji. Like I said before, you're quite the nuisance."

"Well, obviously you both are in the same boat, here. Why not just try to talk to her?" Ginji suggested.

"Kanna is quite wary," Akabane said. Ginji sighed. He meant that Kanna wouldn't allow anything to occur that would possibly bring them within speaking distance of each other, despite obviously wishing the opposite.

"Mr. Akabane, what exactly happened to make you do that? To drive her away like that?" he asked. Here, Akabane seemed immensely uncomfortable, but he didn't try to move away. Ginji watched him expectantly. "Mr. Akabane?"

"Ginji, did you know that demons exist in our world?" Akabane said all of a sudden.

"What? Demons?" Ginji exclaimed. "Wait, are you saying that-?"

"No, I am not a demon, if that is what you're insinuating," Akabane said wryly. Ginji frowned. "I wasn't really insinuating, but, still, what do you mean? And that reminds me, what did you mean when you said that you weren't Jackal?"

"It's just what it sounds like," Akabane said. "I'm not Jackal and Jackal isn't me."

Akabane glanced up at him and Ginji's eyes widened a fraction. "Hey, wait a second, did your eyes just change color or am I imagining things?" he exclaimed. He could have sworn Akabane's eyes were violet in color, but right at that moment, they'd suddenly gone to a deep reddish brown with flecks of violet, instead.

"Ah, so you finally noticed," Akabane said, smiling.

"So...so they can change color?" Ginji exclaimed.

"Yes. They're a shade of brown right now, correct?"

"Well, yes, but I don't see what that has to do with demons among the humans," Ginji said. Akabane adjusted his hat. "The fact that my eyes have changed means that there is no risk for you or anyone else to be around me. Of course, the current color is only a couple of shades away from their usual tone, so it isn't too noticeable."

"But-but how do you do that?"

"I frankly don't remember, anymore." Akabane said pleasantly. "I do it naturally, the same way any living being breathes automatically. It's not a conscious action, do you understand?"

"Well, kind of," Ginji said, one eyebrow raised in confusion. "But I still don't get it."

"It's very simple, Ginji. Jackal is the name of both my alias and of the demon inhabiting my body at present."

"What!?" Ginji yelled. "A-A-Are you s-s-serious!?"

"Quite serious, my dear Ginji. In all truth, I, myself, as Kuroudo Akabane, somewhat dislike my job in general, but a job is a job, after all. Jackal, on the other hand, lives for the thrill of the hunt during our jobs. But we've been this way for so long, that we can no longer tell ourselves apart anymore. We are unable to differentiate our separate actions, even though we're aware of the others' presence at all times. In a sense, it's a form of schizophrenic phenomena that occurred while I participated in the war. It's almost like having two souls residing in a single body, meaning that we've become a single unique individual. Does that make a little more sense? I'm afraid it's rather difficult to explain,"

"No, that made sense. But I find it so hard to believe. So you're saying that when people call you by your alias, Jackal, they're actually speaking to this...this demon and not you?"

"That's one way of looking at it. Of course, I'm aware that they're speaking to me, but Jackal, himself is usually the one to respond. Most of my handiwork is courtesy of him."

He raised his hand and summoned three scalpels, shocking Ginji into stumbling back on reflex, his hands up defensively. "Woah! Please, don't do that!" Ginji exclaimed.

"My dear boy, I've already assured you that there is no risk to your safety while I am currently aware of my own presence. When he presented a deal to me in my moment of dire need, he failed to consider the possibility that our souls might intertwine in such a manner that we have essentially become each other. To put it short, we are two sides of the same coin."

"Is, um, Jackal, the reason you chased Kanna away?" Ginji asked, trying to wrap his head around the fact that Jackal and Akabane were two different beings.

Here, Akabane grew distant and surprisingly melancholic. He turned back to look at the Limitless Fortress. "Yes, Ginji," he said, "Once I'd returned, I couldn't trust him not to harm Kanna. I wasn't the one who injured her, but I was the one who drove her away."

"So then...you drove her away to protect her?" Ginji said in surprise.

Akabane didn't answer and Ginji fell silent for a few minutes. "Mr. Akabane, is he still a threat?"

"No, not nearly as he was when we met," Akabane explained. "I have nearly complete control over us for the most part. Why, exactly?"

"Then it'll be safe to try to talk to Kanna, right?" Ginji said, grinning. But Akabane just stared at him blankly. Ginji gulped and took a step back.

Akabane's eyes had flickered back to violet for the briefest moment.

"I apologize, Ginji, but I'm afraid I must be on my way," Akabane said. "Good evening,"

With that, he turned and headed back the original way he'd come. Ginji let him go, staring after him strangely. All this time, he wondered what Akabane had been going through before they'd all met him. Dealing with some kind of demonic presence intertwined with his own soul had to have been a challenge. If Jackal himself was as dangerous as Ginji suspected he was, he didn't blame Akabane for worrying about Kanna's safety. The thought of being unable to protect someone he loved from himself must have been as nerve wracking as possible. Ginji actually found himself feeling sorry for Akabane.

As he departed, Akabane scowled. He couldn't believe he'd actually told someone the truth. What was more surprising was that it was Ginji he'd told and that Ginji had actually believed him. But just the mention of Kanna brought back an old ache that he thought he'd buried forever. Apparently, with her reappearance, it had resurfaced with an intensity stronger than he'd even experienced with it before. He sighed heavily. Ginji just _had_ to be right. But still, now that the secret was out, there was nothing to really be done for it.

With this depressing thought in mind, Akabane headed for the station, suddenly wanting to go anywhere just to get away from Shinjuku for a little while.


	16. Darkened Pathways

A/N: This story is almost done, but I'm having trouble with the ending, so I'd better get to work on that. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.

Darkened Pathways

Blood.

The smell of blood was potent; it was sickening. It was too dark and nothing could be seen, but everything could be heard. The sounds of the screaming, dying souls, gasping their final breaths not fifty feet away from the pitiful shack sheltering the few survivors. Thunderous quakes wracked the landscape around them, rumbling through the frail structure where they'd been stationed. That is, before they all perished at the hands of the enemy. He was the only one left from the original group. He didn't know where the others were, whether alive or dead. They were simply missing.

Meaningless statistics.

Sweat stung his eyes as he struggled on one last victim, brought to him by his father, also participating, from a violent coup taking place almost right outside.

_If I can just save one! Just one! Just this boy, maybe I'll have accomplished something!_

The boy's eyes fluttered open, glazed over with pain. His stump of a left arm twitched and bled fiercely, despite the tourniquet that had been his only and best option. The smells and sounds of the battle began to cloud vision and hearing alike, mixing reality with illusion in a sickening swirl of color.

The boy groaned in pain, the freshly closed wounds in his chest and side opening once again.

_No! _

Sitting in the doorway, the boy's father began to panic, struggling to remain rooted in place for fear of interrupting the doctor.

_Please! Just allow me this one chance! Please! _

The boy's father watched anxiously as the doctor struggled to stop the bleeding. He applied fresh bandages, knowing how pitifully weak his services were in this horrid place. There was nothing here that could possibly make much of a difference, but _something _had to be done.

"Please, save the boy, doctor!" the father cried desperately, unable to contain himself any longer, "_Dr. Akabane_!"

But by this point, ragged and exhausted, Akabane felt it; that horrible, sinking sensation of failure as the boy's chest ceased its erratic movements and his breathing hissed into silence. Hands shaking, Akabane took hold of the boy's wrist, praying for a pulse and finding none.

_No_

"I've...I've done my best...but...."

The man in the doorway began to tremble viciously, his eyes rolling back in horror. "No! Oh, no! _Nooo!_" he bellowed as Akabane stared down at his failure, resting on the makeshift cot provided by the now missing or deceased medical team.

_One chance! That's all I asked! One chance! You couldn't even give me this one thing! What have I done!? _

A tremendous explosion ripped across the ground, tearing into the south wall of the decrepit shack. Akabane reflexively shielded the boy's body from the falling debris as the shack collapsed all around them. The man in the doorway ducked backwards, disappearing into the gloom. Akabane knew where he was going and grimly accepted it. He'd lost his child and Akabane had lost his chance. He sank to his knees, numb as the enemy soldiers filed in, the captain ordering them to search for any others. Akabane felt it as he was thrown backwards painfully, cracking his head against a sharp object lying on the floor. He wasn't sure what it was, but he felt his conscious mind slipping away, the hot tears forming in his eyes.

"No," he whispered to no one in particular as the soldiers ransacked the shack. He closed his eyes, trying futilely block it out. "No,"

He felt the reverberating footsteps as someone approached him. He opened his eyes slowly, gazing blearily up into a masked face of the enemy's line up.

"Hey! We got a live one!" the masked warrior yelled. Akabane barely felt it as he was yanked up by the neck and pinned to the wall.

"Just hold still and we'll see about this," the masked person said. He went through his coat pockets, checking for weapons.

"Clear!"

He slid to the floor, numb. He was vaguely aware of his wrists being bound behind him and then being thrown down beside the cot. The boy's body was no longer there. Akabane lay still, breathing raggedly. He'd failed. He'd failed to save a boy who shouldn't have been on the field of battle in the first place and he failed even to save himself. He was going to die in this bleak, desolate place, possibly shot through the head mercifully, or tortured for information. He closed his eyes, feeling the tears finally leave his eyes. This was finally the end. He didn't deserve to continue on if he couldn't even preserve the life of a single teenage boy.

_**Are you going to give up so easily?**_

__Akabane opened his eyes. He glanced upward from his position on the floor. The enemy soldiers were milling outside, receiving instructions from their commander.

"Who's there?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

_**You're quite pathetic. Giving up just like that; so weak, so typically human. **_

__He twisted his head around to the best of his current ability, searching for the source of this voice. Who was speaking to him? Where was this voice coming from? This voice that sounded frighteningly familiar to him.

"Who's there?" he asked again.

_**Come now, do you honestly not recognize me? **_

__"I don't," he answered truthfully. The voice chuckled.

_**That's rather surprising. I'd expect you to know me intimately. **_

__Akabane's eyes widened as his conscious line of vision clouded over in a dark fog. He found he was able to move freely and got to his knees, peering through the darkness. "Where are you?" he called tentatively.

_**I'm here. I've always been here. **_

__"Where's 'here'?" he asked.

_**Right where you least expect. **_

__"Stop speaking in riddles! Who are you?" he yelled. He gasped when a dark shadow appeared in the dark clouds before him, the shadow blacker even than the clouds themselves. Deep purple eyes stared into his, leering at him.

_**Do you recognize me? **_

__Akabane shook his head slowly. "No, I don't," he said. "Are you some kind of illusion?"

The presence before him laughed, almost pleasantly and shook its head. As he watched, it began to take shape before him. _**Illusion? How amusing. Doctor, you are a man of science. How could you begin to believe I am an illusion? **_

__Akabane calmed slightly, crossing his legs and staring at the specter before him. It moved closer, slightly. "I may be a man of science," he said carefully, "But I have an open mind. I won't discard what I do not understand, simply for that reason."

_**You are very wise. I'll propose a deal.**_

__"A deal?"

The presence nodded, fully assuming a humanoid form in the darkness. Its purple eyes gleamed. _**Yes, a deal. You see, doctor, you are soon to be killed, drained for information and then slaughtered. There is no way you'll make it out of this alive...alone. **_

__"What are you trying to say?" Akabane asked skeptically. The presence chuckled again in mirth. _**I will help you. I will grant you the power you require to escape. That is, if you can think of a reason to contradict your earlier thinking. **_

__Akabane stared hard at the ground. Moments before, it seemed, he'd surrendered himself to death's cloak from the sheer despair of his failure to preserve a single innocent life. He wracked his brain for a reason to live, just as his single reason flew into his utmost thoughts in an instant.

Her face came to mind; her gentle smile that always warmed him, no matter how difficult his life had become. Her beautiful, deep eyes, full of the wisdom and understanding he'd come to love so much. Her spirit and life, both of which meant more to him than anything in the world, and the promise he'd made to her; that he would return to her.

_**Just one reason. One sufficient, moving reason to preserve your life. **_

__Akabane closed his eyes, clenching his fists angrily. "Kanna," he whispered.

_**What was that? **_

__He raised his eyes to the specter. "Kanna," he said determinedly. "She's my reason; my sole motive for living. I can't fail her, too. Whatever happens, I promised her I'd come back.

The specter's eyes gleamed. _**I see. The dark rivers of the heart are mystifying indeed. It is enough to move even a demon like me. **_

__Akabane gasped sharply. "Demon!?" he exclaimed.

_**It's a shame you didn't realize sooner, doctor. In making a deal with a demon, you may as well have given up your 'sole motive for living'. However, I am a demon in search of something rather...different. I shall save you, but in return, I expect my payment. **_

__"What do you want?" Akabane gritted out. The clouds surrounding the demon began to dissipate before him, and Akabane reflexively inched backwards in horror. He watched himself approach slowly, head down, smiling faintly.

_**Simple. I want to experience a human existence, **_the demon said, raising his eyes to Akabane. Akabane could only stare into his own face in horror. The demon grinned. _**I'll share you, and experience the life of a human. It can't possibly be as dull as my current life. Perhaps I can find a little fun as a human, hm?**_

Akabane shook furiously in fear as the demon knelt before him, staring straight into his eyes. _**So what'll it be? Die and devastate your poor lover? Or live and accept me as a part of you? Please, take your time and think it over. **_

__Akabane swallowed nervously and steeled his gaze. "I don't need to think it over. My refusal is out of the question. I won't break my promise to Kanna. I'll accept your offer on one condition."

_**And what would that be?**_

__"I want ample control. If I tell you to simply leave Kanna alone, the minute I take my eyes off of you, you'll break that condition. I want to choose when to allow you control of me."

_**You misunderstood me, doctor. I never said I wished to control you. I'll simply become a part of you. Your life will become my life. Your likes and dislikes will become mine and your words, thoughts and actions will become my own, as well. The reverse also applies; whatever I do will hence become partially your responsibility. Do you understand? **_

__"I still don't trust that you won't force me to harm Kanna." Akabane argued.

_**And you are wise to suspect me. From the way you care about her, I wouldn't be surprised if your feelings of love for her became mine as well. I can see how this could become problematic, hm? **_

__"Are you threatening me?" Akabane hissed.

_**I wouldn't dream of it. However, our time is growing short. You must choose, now. **_

__Akabane glanced away. "I accept your offer, if only for Kanna's sake." he muttered. The demon grinned. _**A wise decision. **_

Akabane gasped as he opened his eyes. He still lay on the floor of the ruined shack and the soldiers outside still discussed their strategies with their leader. Only a few milliseconds had passed! But even as Akabane started to attribute his experience as a hallucination from the injury to his head, he broke out in a cold sweat at the sound of that voice:

_**Trust me. My power and knowledge have become yours. Save yourself, doctor, for the sake of the one you love so much, **_the demon sneered. Akabane scowled and shifted his gaze around the floor of the shack, searching for something he could use as a weapon. His eyes focused on a single metal scalpel lying a few feet away, glinting in the rays of the sun beaming through the dust and debris in the shack.

"There," he muttered. But he knew it was too far away to reach.

_**Just call it to you, doctor. You have the power, don't you? Call that knife to you and use it. Use it to free yourself and to destroy those who oppose you. **_

__Akabane stared hard at the knife, trusting the demon's words and willing the scalpel to come to him. To his surprise, it took on a faint bluish glow and slowly began to slide across the floor to him. But as it did, he noticed that similar glows began to pulse all around the shack. Scalpels that had scattered in the blast also responded to his call. He frowned shifted to his side so that he could grab the scalpel despite his hands being tied.

_**Good. They obey your command, just like a weapon should. Now, free yourself doctor. I'll assist you and together, we'll see if we can't scrape a little fun out of this dreary job. **_

__Akabane grabbed the scalpel and sliced through the ropes binding his wrists. Unrestrained, he slowly got to his feet, clutching the knife tightly in his hand. One of the soldiers outside noticed him standing.

"Hey! Get back on the floor!" he yelled. Akabane paid him no mind as he glared into nothingness, a strange feeling welling up inside him.

_**My speed is a necessity. Use it to its full potential. Those men did this to you and that boy you tried your very best to save. Now, annihilate the enemy. Slice them into ribbons and show them that you are not to be taken lightly. **_

__The soldier aimed his gun inside and fired at the empty wall where Akabane had been standing just moments before. He blinked and raised his head in confusion. "Huh? Where'd he go? He was there a second ago."

"What's going on?" the general behind them barked. Akabane suddenly found himself behind the soldiers, watching them enter the ruined shack, searching for him.

"What...what just happened?" he asked.

_**I'm quite fast, aren't I? Use it to your advantage. Slice them into pieces! **_

__Akabane approached one of the soldiers from behind. His past medical experience came back to him, helping him remember where all the vital points in the human body lay. He raised the scalpel and placed it around the man gently on the jugular. The man barely had time to blink before he deftly sliced through the thin flesh protecting that vital blood supply. Arterial blood gushed out as the man whirled around, staining Akabane's white coat with bright red blood. He began to recoil, but suddenly, as he stared at it, ignoring the horrified cries of the soldiers, he felt strangely calm.

_**Ahh, that's it. That's just perfect; the sight and smell of fresh blood! The taste of it is to die for, you know. Especially when it's taken by force. Now, kill the rest of them. Try to enjoy yourself, a little. After all, had I not intervened, they'd have taken you away and you'd never see your precious Kanna ever again. **_

"How the hell did he get back there!?"

"Never mind, just kill him! Now!"

This time, reacting of his own will, Akabane moved out of the range of the bullets. His new found speed felt slow to him, as though he'd always known how to move like this. But to them, it must have been terrifying, as they quickly gathered into a circle to monitor all sides.

_**Fear, Nature's most perfect reaction. But of course, I only wish for a little fun from these creatures. Now, if you please,**_

__His speed assisted him once again as he sliced the soldiers open in a fraction of a second, almost relishing their dying cries as they fell to the ground, slowly dying as they bled out. Panting, he stood over the body of the last soldier, whose arm he'd simply grazed off in the last attack. The man stared up at him in horror, shaking his head. "No! Spare me! Please!" he begged. Akabane started in surprise; this man's life was held up by a thread, supported by Akabane himself. He'd killed his companions and he was about to kill him, too. Was this was true power felt like? Or was this simply the demon taking him over like he'd said he wouldn't? Already, Akabane was having difficulty discerning the demon from his own presence.

_**End his miserable existence. Put him out of his misery. **_

__With a quick lash of his wrist, the man's head rolled to the ground, the eyes still gazing up in horror.

_**That's it. Just like that. That's what it's all about, doctor. **_

__But Akabane collapsed on his knees, shaking his head. "No, what have I done?" he exclaimed in a panic. "What have I done!?"

_**You've saved yourself. In this world, you must kill or be killed. That's the basic gist of it. But if that is what you absolutely must do, then why not have a little fun with it? After all, you are a powerful man, now, doctor. Why not test the limits of your power first hand in the ultimate field of battle? **_

__"But...Kanna-"

_**Think of it this way. The more powerful you are, the better you can protect Kanna, **_the demon leered. Akabane's eyes widened and he raised his head at the carnage he'd created. Distantly, the sounds of the battle echoed behind him, like the audio from an old movie playing in another room.

_**You knew that you couldn't save everyone. You knew that from the beginning and yet you tried your hardest to save everyone here, friend and foe alike. That boy was going to die anyway. You simply helped him die sooner. These men are no different. You are the Angel of Death, doctor. Instead of constantly trying to save lives, why not end them for a change? Experience the thrills of the hunt and the ecstasy of life's most exquisite pleasure? The feeling of adrenaline as you fight for your life, struggling in an all-out effort to defeat your enemy and then drinking in the success of a hard earned victory. I assure you, there's nothing quite like it. **_

__"But, I...I just...," he muttered.

_**I won't steer you wrong. With my guidance, I will bring out the true power of Kuroudo Akabane. We'll discover together just how far you can go and see if there's a being alive who can come close to actually killing you before he's killed, himself. **_

__Akabane bowed his head, shaking it lightly. He knew that he was going to lose. He felt so weak, he couldn't fight. The demon smirked in triumph.

_**I'm proud of you. You're strong, Kuroudo Akabane. I can make you stronger. Now, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jackal.**_


	17. Mireille's Final Act

A/N: I'm almost finished with this story. I hope everyone's still in character, as my Get Backers phase is coming to an end, replaced by Hellsing. I'm getting a new story ready for its debut for any Hellsing fans. It's called A Simple Memory. Keep an eye out for it!

Mireille's Final Act

__Ban sat watching Ginji sitting at the counter, scribbling aimlessly on a piece of paper in front of him. Bracing his chin on his hand, Ginji frowned, drawing squiggles absently. Natsumi followed the pen with her eyes, equally curious behind Ginji's odd behavior.

"Hey," Ban said, "Come on, Ginji, you've been a zombie since you took on that mission of tracking down Akabane last week. Don't tell me he attacked you again."

"Nah," Ginji muttered, "But he told me some stuff,"

"Like what?" Ban asked. He'd asked Ginji this before, but up until now, Ginji hadn't really given him an actual answer. Ginji shrugged.

"Just stuff," he said. "He told me that right then, he wasn't Jackal."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Ban muttered.

__"Just what it sounds like," Ginji said. "He told me he wasn't Jackal, that he was Akabane. But even though he told me what he meant, I still have a difficult time understanding it."

"Would you just spit it out already? What'd he tell you?" Ban snapped, heading over and staring hard at his friend. Ginji glanced up at him slyly. "Ban, why should I tell you the details of my own secret recovery mission?" he taunted. He knew that Ban was as curious as he was. Ban sighed irritably. "Fine, I'll help you in your stupid mission." he growled. Ginji grinned. "Aw, thanks, Ban! I knew you'd help me! Urk!" he yelled as Ban grabbed him in a choke hold.

"Moron! I'm just tired of this creepy phase you're going into!" he growled.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Natsumi giggled and glanced up as the door opened suddenly. "Welcome to the Honky Tonk," she said. The woman in the door smiled. "Thank you." she said. Ban and Ginji turned at the familiar voice and their eyes bugged in surprise. "Clayman!" they exclaimed. Clayman, originally an international art thief, had been an enemy/client for the the Get Backers several weeks before. Now, he, or rather she, ran a small art museum in a local department store, presenting the paintings that were supposed to be the last great works of the legendary art masters.

Clayman smiled warmly. "Good day, Get Backers," she said.

"What are you doing here?" Ginji asked, smiling as he got up to shake her hand.

"I came here looking for a friend of mine. Her name is Kannaya Miyazaki. Do you know her?"

Ginji's jaw dropped. "Do we know her? Yeah, of course we know her! How do you know her?"

"We attended art school together at the University of Tokyo." Clayman answered. "Even though she dropped out, we still kept in contact."

"Oh," Ginji said, "That's right, I forgot that she was an artist. Is she supposed to meet you here?"

"Yes. She should be here soon. She wants to see the gallery." Clayman answered.

"Does she know about them?" Ginji asked.

"Yes, she knows about their little secret," Clayman replied, "But she hasn't seen the paintings up close."

"I get you." Ginji said, grinning. "Well, she's a friend of ours, too. Hey, that's right! Ms. Clayman, did you know that Ms. Miyazaki was engaged awhile back?"

Clayman smiled. "Of course I knew. Kanna and I were and still are good friends, you know," she answered plainly.

"Did you know who it was?" Ginji asked carefully, testing her.

"From what I understand, it was the surgeon who saved her grandmother, Sumika's life." Clayman said with a tilt of her head. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Eh, you could say that," Ginji replied. "So, when's she supposed to get here?"

"Anytime, now," Clayman said, just as the door opened and Kannaya Miyazaki came inside. Her eyes widened when she spotted Clayman.

"Saeka!" she exclaimed, hurrying forward. "Long time no see! How are you?"

"I'm doing well, Kanna. It has been a while." Clayman replied. Ginji's eyebrow raised in confusion. "Saeka?" he said. Clayman turned, chuckling. "Of course. Don't tell me you thought my first name was Clayman," she said, smiling. Ginji gulped and turned away quickly. "N-No, of course not!" he lied. "Saeka's a nice name. Uh, anyway, Ms. Miyazaki, how long have you known Ms. Clayman?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Okay, lay off the Ms. Miyazaki bit already," Kannaya said. "Just call me by my first name, Kannaya. Jeez, the whole formalities bit drives me bonkers. Anyway, knowing Saeka, I'm sure she's already answered your question, Ginji," Kannaya said, smirking. She turned to Clayman. "Anyway, I heard of the success at your gallery, Saeka. Congratulations."

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without the Get Backers' assistance in the matter," Clayman replied, gesturing at Ban and Ginji. "Thanks to them, all of the paintings survived intact and are safely on display."

"Yes, Ban and Ginji are something else," Kannaya said. "Oh, that reminds me, Saeka, I set up a new studio downtown. I'm planning on bringing Mireille back to life in the near future. Would you like to see her?"

"I'd love to. Ban Midou here is quite the art enthusiast," Clayman said, gesturing to Ban, "I'm sure he'd enjoy seeing Mireille as well."

"Who's Mireille?" Ginji asked.

"My greatest treasure; a series of paintings my grandmother, Sumika, started before her death."

" I remember," Natsumi said excitedly, "You said that there's one piece left in the painting. Are you going to finish it?"

"Yes. I went up and cleaned out my old studio, somewhat. I purchased a new kiln and I should be starting up again in the near future. My new studio is at this old storage building by the wharf," she said, though Ban frowned suspiciously. Kannaya's voice sounded strained, as though she were forcing herself to speak about this. Ginji remembered that Kannaya's old studio was in Hokkaido. She'd mentioned before about her new studio here in Shinjuku close to where she lived currently. Ginji frowned.

Clayman, however, smiled. "I see. Well then, how about we see Mireille before we go to the gallery? I'm anxious to see how she's been this whole time."

Ginji chuckled. "It's weird hearing you two talking about a painting like it's a person," he said. Kannaya shot him a fierce look. "That's because she _is_ a person, remember? Not only is she the immortalized form of my mother, but she carries my grandma's soul. Don't take the work that was put into bringing her to life, lightly, Ginji," she warned. Ginji blinked, bewildered shock written all over his face. When Kannaya snickered and doubled over in unrestrained laughter all of a sudden, he released the breath he'd been holding in confusion. "Huh?"

"Your face!" she exclaimed, "It's hysterical! Did you think I was seriously threatening you!?"

Ginji smiled sheepishly. "Well, kinda, yeah," he admitted. Kannaya smiled. "Sorry. I guess I can be rather morose when I feel like it. Well, shall we go?" she said, turning to Clayman.

"Yes. Lead the way," Clayman answered.

"See you guys!" Natsumi said as they left, "Wow, I didn't know that Ms. Clayman and Ms. Kanna were friends. Both art lovers like you, huh Ban?"

"Yeah, though Clayman is a little too eccentric to strike most people as an art lover. She dresses like a man for crying out loud."

"Maybe that's just her style," Natsumi suggested.

"Yeah," Ginji threw out, "I mean, she made people think she was a man when she was still an art thief. I guess the style must have just grown on her."

"Whatever. Now, tell us about what you heard from Akabane, now that we finally got you talking," Ban said to Ginji. Ginji stared down at the counter, twiddling his thumbs.

"He told me that he isn't Jackal." Ginji murmured.

"Yeah, you said that. So what did he mean?"

Ginji hesitated before answering. "Listen, Ban, Natsumi, Paul, I get the feeling that he'd probably secretly wanted to talk about this for so long that he couldn't help telling me everything once he started. This stays between us, okay?"

"Sure. Who am I gonna tell?" Paul asked.

"Same here," Natsumi said cheerfully. "I've never really even spoken to Mr. Akabane."

"Count your blessings, kid," Ban grumbled. "So, what'd he tell you?"

"He told me that...that there's a demon living inside of him whose name is Jackal. At least, he mentioned the demon as 'him' and said his alias right afterward, so I assume its name is Jackal. He said that he made a deal with this demon, apparently sometime while he was participating in the war. I don't know what the deal was, but he made it sound as though the demon had saved his life in exchange for something."

"Ginji, just admit that you never found Akabane, okay?" Ban growled.

"I'm telling the truth, Ban! What I'm telling you is exactly what I heard from Akabane! He said that the reason he drove Kannaya away was because he was afraid that Jackal would hurt her! He also said that after so long existing with this demon, he can't tell himself apart from it anymore and vice versa. But he mentioned that the demon is under control now."

"More or less, apparently," Ban muttered. "I still find this hard to believe, Ginji," he said, "That the Jackal is housing some kind of demonic presence which turned him into a ruthless killer is a bit hard to swallow, you know."

"I know. But it's depressing to think that this demon ruined him and Kannaya. He abandoned her to protect her and she doesn't even know it." Ginji said dejectedly. Ban frowned. "You're getting way too emotional over this, you know that right? We're talking about the same creep who tried to flay you alive."

"I know. But the fact that he told all of this to me, as though he trusted me with this kind of information makes me think that maybe he's not as cold-hearted as we thought."

"Huh?" Ban exclaimed.

"I agree with Mr. Ginji," Natsumi said, "Like I said, I've never actually met Mr. Akabane, though I've seen him around sometimes while I'm walking outside."

"So?" Ban asked curiously.

"He always had his hat over his eyes, but I'm kinda short, so I could still see his face. He always seems to have kind of a wistful look while he's walking, like he's deep in thought about something. He just doesn't make me think he's as bad as you guys always claim he is."

"That's kind of weak evidence, Natsumi," Ban said.

"Yeah, I know," Natsumi mumbled. Paul made his way over and put his hand on her shoulder. "Hey guys, go easy on her. The girl may be klutzy, but she's a good judge of character," he said with a smile. Natsumi's face went red. "Hey! I'm not that klutzy, am I chief?" she exclaimed irritably.

"Kid, fifteen broken plates in a single month is considered klutzy in my book," Paul said, chuckling. Natsumi groaned and hung her head with a sigh.

"In any case," Ban said, "I think we should hold off deciding anything until we know for sure."

"But I already know what I want to do, Ban," Ginji said.

"What? You mean about what he told you?"

"No. I want to try to fix five years' worth of damage." Ginji said quietly. Ban's eyes widened and he sat up straighter, frowning. "Ginji, are you suggesting what I think you are?" he asked cautiously. Ginji nodded.

"I am. Akabane may scare me out of my skull, but I can't help but feel sorry for him for everything he's gone through in order to simply protect someone he loves. But when I think about what he told me, and if I take into consideration if it's actually true or not, then that makes me realize that it's not Akabane I'm always afraid of, but Jackal."

Ban sighed heavily. "Damn, you're gonna be Ginji to the end, huh? I can't believe I'm agreeing with you, you blond-haired knucklehead, but I'm agreeing with you. When all things are considered, Akabane is still human, after all. A human with an unfortunate string of events tied over his shoulder. I suppose this means that even he can feel human emotions."

"Yeah," Ginji said with a small smile, "That's why I want to try to fix things between them. From this moment onward, I'm making it my personal mission to get back the days from five years ago, before Jackal appeared. But, I'm just a single Get Backer. Ban, what does the 'S' stand for again?" Ginji asked teasingly. Ban regarded him in irritation before sighing and taking his cigarette out of his mouth. "Jeez, you moron," he grumbled, "Dragging me into yet another dumb mercy job. Fine, I'll help you. But you owe me big time for helping that creep Akabane."

Ginji hurled forward, tackling Ban in a giant bear hug. "Thanks, Ban! I knew you'd understand!" he exclaimed happily.

"And here I thought you couldn't stand Akabane any more than I could," Ban grumbled with a smile. Ginji snickered. "You're right; he freaks me out big time. But think of it this way, if we help him, maybe he'll mellow out. You know?"

"I suppose there's always a chance of that. All right, where should we start?"

Before Ginji could answer, he froze. His phone was vibrating in his pocket so he pulled it out and answered. "Hello?"

"_Ginji, it's Clayman!_"

"Oh, hey Ms. Clayman, what's up?" he asked.

"_There's no time! You must come down here as soon as you can!_"

"Why? What happened?"

"_My phone is about to die! Kanna's studio has caught fire! The blaze is enormous! She's gone inside to retrieve the painting! I can't call the fire department because I'm almost out of-_"

At that moment, however, her phone went dead and Ginji was left with a single long beep on the receiving end. Ginji gasped and whirled to Ban. "We have to get down to the wharf right now! Kannaya's studio caught fire and she's in there!"

"Paul, call the fire department!" Ban yelled as he and Ginji raced outside. Fortunately, Ban had managed to get the Miss Ladybug out of impound and they climbed inside and he floored the pedal. Natsumi ran to the window as they disappeared while Paul got to the phone.

"Hurry, chief!" she exclaimed. Paul nodded gravely.

//ooo//

Clayman stared in horror as the inferno rose higher and higher into the sky, eating away at the wooden structure. It was a relatively new building, so the wood was stronger than it would be if it were older, but Clayman knew that it wouldn't last long.

"Kanna!" she called anxiously. But the roars of the flame drowned out her voice. She gasped and whirled at the sound of a car speeding toward them and stared in relief as Ban and Ginji dashed over.

"What happened?" Ban yelled over the flames.

"I don't know! Kanna and I were inside and suddenly, the place just exploded in flames!" she exclaimed, "We got out, but Kanna went back in to get the painting!"

"There is no way some painting is worth that much!" Ginji yelled.

"No!" Clayman cried, "Mireille is to her what my gallery is to me! Sumika poured her heart and soul into the creation of Mireille! It means more to her than any object!"

They turned to the blaze, casting an ominous glow into the sky as it roared higher and higher. Ban scowled. "Ginji, we've got to try to get in through one of the windows! It's her only chance!"

//ooo//

Kannaya huddled inside beneath her metal workbench, hugging the canvas with the sketching of Mireille and coughing as the smoke grew thicker and blacker all around her. It stung her eyes, making them water uncomfortably. She knew that if she stayed beneath the steel bench, any falling debris wouldn't harm her. Her biggest problem lay in the smoke surrounding her. Soon, she wouldn't be able to breathe. She could only cough violently and watch in dismay as her supplies and various other paintings and projects were eaten away by the flames.

"_Kanna!_"

She heard Clayman's voice from somewhere outside. Still coughing, she took as deep a breath as she could:

"Saeka!" she gasped out as loudly as possible before falling into another coughing fit.

//ooo//

"_Saeka!_"

Clayman gasped. "Kanna! She's still there!" she cried. "Ban, Ginji, please!"

"We're working on it!" Ban yelled as he and Ginji used a fishing tarp from the building adjoining to smother the flames near the window. The structure by this point was so weak that if Ban had attempted his snake bite to force the window or door open, it would probably collapse. Ginji stumbled back, coughing into his sleeve and shielding his face from the heat. "Ban, this isn't working!" he yelled desperately, "We need a new plan!"

"We don't have time for one! If Kannaya doesn't burn to death, she'll suffocate in the next few minutes!"

"Why can't she use her fox maneuver?" Ginji yelled as they went back to attempting to smother the flames.

"Too big a risk!" Clayman yelled over to them. "Using her fox form leaves her body vulnerable!"

"How come I'm the only one who doesn't know anything here!?" Ban shrieked angrily.

A sudden crashing sound to their left from the window opposite to them made them pause. Ginji's eyes went wide when he just saw something disappear into a broken window on the other side, near where the flames were the strongest.

"Ban," he said, "Something just went inside the building!"

"What the-? Come on, we've got to get through! Whoever or whatever went in there has got to be out of their skull!"

They finally got the flames under control enough for Ban to smash through the window with minimal damage to himself or to the building.

"All right, go Ginji!"

Using his electrical energy to dissipate the smoke around him, Ginji vaulted inside, holding his green bandana over his nose and mouth and peering through the fiery gloom.  
"Hey!" he yelled, "Is anyone still in here!?"

"_Ginji! Over here!_"

Ginji's eyes went wide at the figure approaching him through the smoke.

"What the-? Akabane?" he exclaimed in shock. Akabane hurried forward, some kind of cloth tied over the lower half of his face and a paint-splattered towel covering Kanna's as he carried her limp body over. Kanna's hand limply clasped over a canvas.

"Hand her up to me!" Ginji said. Akabane quickly transferred Kanna to Ginji who leapt back out the window, followed closely by Akabane. The structure was beginning to creak threateningly as they moved away from it.

"Kanna!" Clayman cried, rushing over to check on her friend. Distantly, the sounds of the sirens could be heard approaching rapidly. Ban made a noise of disgust, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "Took them long enough," he grumbled.

Fortunately for them, Paul had clearly mentioned that there might be someone inside the building and an ambulance was also dispatched. By the time the firemen had started hosing down the studio, it had crumbled in on itself, destroying most everything inside of it. Kanna was immediately loaded onto a gurney and fixed to a breathing machine as she was taken to the ambulance. Clayman insisted on going, saying that Kanna had no surviving family members. She told the Get Backers and Akabane to meet her at the hospital as soon as possible. The ambulance sped away, Ban, Ginji and Akabane watching it go and listening to the dying fire as it was killed by the hoses. After informing the firemen that only the victim probably knew how the blaze started, they drove away, leaving the three of them standing bereft beside the ruined studio.

"That was scary," Ginji finally said, "I'd never seen Ms. Clayman so upset before."

"Understandable," Ban muttered. "Kannaya was her close friend and fellow art lover."

He glanced down at the canvas lying on the ground, covered in soot and ash. The faint sketches still remained, though hardly any detail could be picked out, it was so fresh. Ban sighed and shook his head. "Man, you can't even tell what's it going to be, yet. I don't understand why she couldn't start over when it's at this stage."

He looked up at Akabane, standing with his hands in his pockets, staring at the smoldering pile of wreckage that was Kanna's studio. He too was covered in soot from the blaze, but he didn't seem to notice. Ginji exchanged glances at Ban and slowly made his way over.

"Um, Mr. Akabane?" he said carefully.

"Yes?" Akabane said without turning around.

"Um, are you okay?"

"I'm doing fine, Ginji."

"Uh, okay, then-"

"Hey!" Ban exclaimed, making his way over, "If you don't mind me asking, how the heck did you know that Kannaya's studio was on fire _and _that she was inside?"

Akabane just turned to look elsewhere, not facing them.

"Mr. Akabane?" Ginji said uncertainly.

"I've been keeping tabs on Kanna," he said quietly. Ginji's shoulders sagged and Ban sighed and shook his head. Ginji stared at Akabane seriously. "Really? Mr. Akabane, how come you don't do anything to tell her what _really_ happened? She doesn't know you were only protecting her! You just need to tell her that!"

Akabane didn't answer. Instead, he just turned and headed off. Ginji stared after him, disbelievingly.

"Mr. Akabane!" he yelled, "Hold up just a moment,"

To both their surprise, he stopped and glanced back slightly. Ginji gritted his teeth. "Hey, come to the hospital later! I'll bet you anything she'd love a visit! Please? Come on, what do you say?"

But Akabane just turned again and slowly made his way to the street. Then, he rounded a corner and disappeared from their sight. Ginji sighed heavily. Ban came over and clapped him on the back. "I have to say, Ginji, I give you credit for trying."

"I'm not giving up, Ban," Ginji said stubbornly.

"I never said you were. Come on, lets' go visit Kannaya and talk to Clayman. I have a feeling you're gonna need a lot more help with this than you think."

//ooo//

At the hospital, they found Clayman sitting with Kanna in her room. Kanna was sitting up and looked rather tired, but peaceful. She looked up when she saw them come in and smiled.

"Oh, hey guys," she said apologetically. "Sorry about all this. I guess running into a burning building to save a single incomplete painting was kinda stupid of me."

"Kinda?" Ban said, raising an eyebrow. "Really stupid is a better description."

"Yeah," Kannaya muttered, glancing at the canvas in his hands. He handed it over to her and smiled. "But I think it's worth it. After all, this is the final piece. Sure, all of my media is gone, but my insurance should cover it. I had to insure the place against stuff like this," she said with a smile.

"That's good," Ginji said, "When you're out of here, you can go down and see if anything else survived."

"It probably didn't," Kannaya said sadly, "When I went in there, I smelled gasoline. I remember that there were drums of it in there from when the building was a storage area. I hadn't had time to have them removed. I suppose a spark must have gotten into them or something. In any case, I doubt anything survived."

She frowned contemplatively. "By the way, how did I even get out of there? I remember being carried. Was it one of you guys?" she asked.

"Nope," Ginji said with a grin, "It was Akabane who saved you."

He'd expected anything but the sudden stricken expression on her face when he said that. Her face fell and she stared down at her hands, her hair covering her eyes. "Oh," she said finally. Ginji frowned and tilted his head. "Ms. Kannaya? Are you okay?"

Before she could respond, Clayman smiled and stood up. "I think we should let her rest now, don't you?" she said, ushering Ban and Ginji out of the room. Ginji glanced back at Kannaya, just in time to see a single tear slide down her cheek and fall to the sheets before the door closed behind the three of them.

//ooo//

Akabane stood on the roof of the hospital they'd taken Kannaya to. He considered what he'd told the Get Backers, that he'd been keeping tabs on Kannaya. It sounded bad, but he did it anyway, doing his best to keep protecting her, even despite Jackal's protests. He hadn't actually been near the studio, but he'd been close enough to see the explosion of flame. Getting inside the building hadn't been too much of a problem. However, discovering Kanna collapsed beneath her workbench had scared him more than anything else had in a long, long time. He'd reacted automatically, his medical training returning to him in an instant as he grabbed the nearest pieces of cloth from the floor that hadn't caught fire yet, placing one over his own face and then covering Kanna's as he lifted her up in his arms. He was strangely calmed by the fact that a small part of his old self still existed. But his heart was still pounding from this whole event. And then what Ginji had said, that he should pay her a visit? He didn't understand why Ginji kept insisting on getting involved with all of this.

"I suppose that's what makes him Ginji," Akabane muttered into the wind.


	18. Planning

A/N: Nearly there! Hope you people are enjoying the story!!

Planning

Kannaya was released from the hospital that very day, having been cleared of any negative effects from the fire. With Clayman accompanying her, she returned to the wreckage of her studio, determined to see what really caused that blaze.

"That was no accident, Saeka," Kannaya said fiercely, "I wasn't lying when I said I smelled gasoline, but I was when I said that there were drums of it being kept in there. I'll bet you anything it's members of Takeo's old gang who survived my onslaught five years ago."

"If that's the case, how would they have tracked you down?"

"Come on, Saeka, you've managed to pinpoint the locations of obscure paintings no one had ever seen before. Why are you asking me this?"

"I can track down objects without a problem, Kanna. People are another matter altogether," Clayman said, laughing.

"In any case, if those idiots are out to avenge their former leader, they'd better have insurance. I'm fit to be tied right now as it is and if they're still hanging around here, I can't guarantee my actions on any account."

"I understand. I won't try to stop you," Clayman said with a smile. Kannaya chuckled. "Damn, you know me almost too well, Saeka,"

When they'd reached the ruins, Kannaya picked her way through the smoldering material toward the back where the kiln sat. Amazingly, it had survived the flame with minimal damage thanks to a couple of steel girders that had fallen just perfectly around it, shielding it from the flames and structure itself as it came down.

"Well, that's a relief." Kannaya said as she inspected the kiln. "It looks like it's going to be fine,"

"Yes and I found a few cans of paint over here that survived as well," Clayman said, throwing aside a few charred pieces of wood. "But there's something odd about this wall,"

"Let me see," Kannaya said, moving over to take a look. The wall Clayman was pointing to was charred as black as night and seemed to have burned increasingly quickly once the blaze started, unlike the rest of the building, which still retained some of its original color. Kannaya scowled. "I knew it," she growled, "Acceleration was used here. It's connected to the fuze box. When I turned the lights on, the spark flew straight at the gasoline, igniting it on contact. Someone deliberately destroyed this place, hoping on the off chance that I'd go down with it."

"Do you really believe it's them?" Clayman asked.

"I don't know. But one thing's for sure, they'd better not show their faces around here again or so help me, I'd probably transform and wind up swallowing them once and for all. I'd rather not, though. I doubt their bitter carcases would sit well with my stomach."

Clayman chuckled at this. "You're rather morbid, you know that?" she said.

"Yeah, sorry," Kannaya said apologetically. "Come on, lets' get out of here. I don't think that anything besides the paint and the kiln can be salvaged. All of my canvases are burnt to crisps and the brushes are useless. My wheels are gone, so if the clay survived, I'll have to think of some way to get it out of here."

"We'll worry about that later. You should probably file a complaint concerning the sabotage," Clayman said.

"Yeah, I'd better leave this one to the police. I don't know why they even try anymore, seeing how Takeo's been gone for years."

"They're determined," Clayman said as they made their way out of the rubble, "By the way, I wanted to ask you about your reaction to what Ginji said earlier, concerning the man who saved you. Was something wrong with that?"

Kannaya gazed down at the ground. "Not really. I'm grateful he saved me, though I'm a little surprised."

"Are you familiar with him?"

Kannaya shrugged. "You could say that," she said, "Do you remember when I told you about my engagement?"

"Yes. I recall receiving that email, though I never heard anything else."

"Yeah, there's a reason for that. We broke up."

" Oh, I'm sorry," Clayman said. Then, her eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying that the man who saved you was the same one you were engaged to?"

Kannaya nodded slowly. "Yes, that was him."

Clayman stared at her in disbelief, "So he was the surgeon who saved Sumika?" she exclaimed.

"Yeah. He's not a surgeon anymore, though. He does transport work."

"What happened between you two? You seemed so excited through the email and I was so happy for you."

"Things happened. To this day, I don't know the extent of what happened to him to make him change so much. The change was so terrifying that I had no choice but to leave," Kannaya said, effectively failing at brushing off the conversation. Clayman frowned concernedly. "Does anyone else know?" she asked.

"For one reason or another, Ginji's been getting involved in it," Kannaya said irritably. "He's such a pest, sometimes. But he's a good kid and he's got a heart as big as the entire country of Japan. I suppose he means well. But he'd better be careful, or he'll make me mad."

Clayman laughed. But her eyes showed worry for her friend. Clearly, Kannaya wasn't going to explain what happened. Clayman figured that she'd try talking to Ginji later on. Perhaps then, she'd find some answers of her own.

//ooo//

"And that's what happened," Ginji said as he finished telling Paul about what occurred down at Kannaya's studio. Paul hummed and sighed. "Sounds bad," he said, "How did she react when you told her who really saved her?"

"Not so good," Ginji said dejectedly, "She was really shocked. But when he told us that he'd been keeping tabs on her, I was kind of surprised,"

"I don't blame you there," Paul said. "From the sounds of things, it sure doesn't seem like she greatly appreciates your efforts, Ginji,"

"That's where you're wrong, Paul," Ginji said, "I think that she's just afraid to admit it. If you'd have heard her story a few weeks ago, you'd agree with me. Oh, that reminds me, Ban, have you seen Himiko at all?"

"Not since the Limitless Fortress," Ban said in reference to their recent job at the Limitless Fortress. "I understand she's in Okinawa transporting some kind of doll collection for a show of some kind."

"Oh," Ginji said, "Too bad. I figured she'd want to know our progress."

Natsumi had been listening patiently, but turned when the door opened. "Oh, welcome," she said. "Oh, Ms. Hevn, good afternoon."

"Afternoon, Natsumi," Hevn said, "Hey boys, I heard about what happened to Ms. Miyazaki. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Ban said, "She was released from the hospital the same day. Might have been different, though, if it weren't for something a little unexpected happening."

"What?" Hevn asked. Ginji glanced up at her. "Akabane saved Ms. Kannaya's life, Hevn," he said. Hevn's eyes widened.

"What?"

"Yeah," Ban said, "Ginji actually got him to talk last week. Seems we've got a double situation going on, here."

To their surprise, Hevn smiled. "Well, that's good. I just happened to run into someone who wanted to talk to you about that very issue," she said. "Two someones as a matter of fact. Come on in you two,"

Clayman entered, which was somewhat unexpected. But for the Get Backers, the second person who entered struck them as somewhat odd.

"Um," Ban said, "Who's the kid?"

The girl's face reddened and she clenched her fists. "I am _not_ a kid! I'm twenty-eight years old!" she screamed childishly. Despite what she said, she was quite elfin in stature and pose, with a tiny round face and short black pigtails. Ban suspected that she only measured about five foot two, at the most. She was effectively the tiniest twenty-eight year-old he'd ever laid eyes on.

"Guys, this is Sanae Suzuhara," Hevn explained, "I met her while searching up info on our little problem and she told me that she could help us."

"Well, I hope I can, anyway. I can't tell you how upset I was to learn that Dr. Akabane had quit his job at the hospital. I lost my big brother!" she sobbed loudly.

"Big brother?" Ginji exclaimed.

"Yeah. He was like a brother to me. Of course, I was probably his biggest nuisance, but he still put up with me."

"Hey Hevn," Ban said, "Hate to tell you this, but we've already got all the info we need. You can tell the squirt here that we're good."

"_Squirt!?_"

Ban yelled and ducked off the stool as Sanae launched herself onto his shoulders, yanking his hair and screaming at him to take it back. Ginji watched them bemusedly for a minute and chuckled. "Ban is sure good with kids," he said.

"Yeah, well, whatever you do, don't let Sanae hear you say that," Hevn said, folding her arms. "Anyway, from what she told me, she actually works with the task force in Hokkaido, now, trapping the suspects for interrogation."

"Trapping the suspects?"

"She acts as a decoy to the suspects of various investigations, luring them into telling her vital information or taking them to a preordained spot for easy capture by the authorities. She calls it a Decoy Service."

"Oh," Ginji said, "But, how is that going to help us help them?"

"Simple," she'll think up a plan to get them both to meet each other without knowing what's really going on," Hevn said smugly. Clayman came over, smiling. "Yes. At this point, we already have all the necessary information. I spoke with Kanna the other day and it's quite clear that she still loves this man very much, despite the loss of nearly five years."

"That's right," Hevn said, "So all we have to do is trick them both into meeting somewhere to talk it over."

"Hevn, are you hearing yourself?" Paul asked. "How is Sanae going to fool them both, especially if Akabane knows who she is?"

Hevn smiled mischievously. "That's where you're wrong, Paul. Sanae is just going to help us come up with a way to get them both together. I'm the one who's going to be doing the fooling, here."

Paul blinked and nodded in approval. "Well," he said, "How about we use the restaurant? From the way you're talking, you're going to give the impression that you want the both of them to come here to accept a job, am I right?"

"As always, Paul," Hevn said, "And that's a good idea. The restaurant will keep suspicion down. I doubt I'll get Akabane suspicious, considering how often I've called him for a job he might be interested in. But I don't know Kanna as well, so I can't be sure how it'll go with her."

"How about you let me handle that?" Clayman asked. Hevn turned to her. "Are you sure you want to? If you accidentally make her mad, you might lose her as a friend."

Clayman shrugged. "All I want is for my friend to be happy," she said, "I'll just have to risk it. I'll call her saying I want her to meet me here so we can attend an art conference somewhere."

"Sounds good, and I'll call Akabane saying I have a job for him and I need him to meet me here at some certain time. Now we just have to arrange a good time."

"How about Saturday?" Ban asked, coming over with Sanae held aloft by the collar of her jacket, scowling. Ban was a mess, his hair flattened and his shirt wrinkled, but he didn't seem the least bit phased. Sanae just folded her arms.

"From the way you guys have been chatting, I'm guessing my Decoy Service isn't needed anymore," she growled. Ban smirked. "That's right you little monster," he taunted. Hevn rolled her eyes.

"Maybe not, Sanae, but you can still stay and congratulate them when our little plan works out."

Sanae instantly cheered up. "Yay! I'll get to see big brother again!" she chimed.

"Clayman," Hevn asked, "Could you call Ms. Himiko Kudo and let her know what's going on?"

"Sure," Clayman said. She moved off to place the call. Hevn smirked and pulled out her phone. "Okay, now I'll start things," she said, moving outside. She winked at them, "Wish me luck,"

Ginji grinned and have her thumbs up. Hevn shut the door and dialed the number. She leaned against the building while she waited for him to pick up.

"_This is Akabane,_"

"Hey Akabane, it's Hevn,"

"_Ah, Ms. Hevn. How are you?_"

"Doing just fine, thanks for asking," Hevn said, "How about yourself?"

"_To tell you the truth, I'm rather bored._"

"Well, glad to hear that. I've got a big job you might be interested in."

"_Really? Do tell._"

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to do so. The clients wish to speak to you directly. They want you to meet them here at the restaurant so they can further explain the details to you. Is that going to be a problem?"

"_Of course not. I've told you before-_"

"I know, I know, to you, the value of a job is not the money, but the amount of fun you can have with it." Hevn said, rolling her eyes. He chuckled on the other end.

"_You certainly know me well, don't you?_"

"I have to. I'm the only one brave enough to offer you jobs," Hevn said wryly. He actually laughed. "_And I thank you for it, Ms. Hevn. Very well, I'll meet the client's wishes. When should I be there?_"

"Try to be here on Saturday by noon at least, okay?"

"_That's fine. Will I be working alone?_"

"No, I was considering calling Mr. No Brakes to assist you again if you'd like." Hevn fibbed. Fortunately, Akabane didn't seem to notice. Hevn was pretty confident of her acting skills.

"_Ah, that would be enjoyable. With Mr. Maguruma driving, the trip will be anything but boring. Hence his nickname. All right then. I'll be there._"

"Great. See you then, Dr. Jackal."

She hung up and smirked as she went back in. "All right, one down and one to go," she declared. Ginji's jaw dropped. "You actually got him to come here!?" he exclaimed. Hevn nodded. "Yup. I told him the clients want him to meet them here at noon on Saturday. Of course, I didn't tell him that the clients are really all of us _and_ that we're not actually going to be here." she said, snickering. Ginji couldn't hold back his grin. "Man, that's sneaky, Hevn." he said, "I can't believe he bought it."

"Hey, I've brought him jobs before. I gave him no reason to suspect how this one could be any different." Hevn said, "This may mean that he'll be slightly irritated with me the next time I really have a job, but I'm willing to take that risk. Well, it's your turn," she said to Clayman. Clayman nodded. "Yes. I'll do my best," she said. She too went outside and dialed Kannaya's number.

"_Hello? Miyazaki residence,_"

"Kanna, this is Saeka," Clayman said.

"_Saeka, how are you?_"

"I'm doing wonderfully. I wanted to ask you if you'd care to attend an art conference with me this Saturday."

"_Sure. What time is it?_"

"It's at three, but it's a bit of a drive from here, so why don't you meet me at the restaurant? Try to be here by noon, all right?"

"_Sure. What are they going to have there?_"

Clayman thought fast. "Some pieces by Monet," she said, "And a few by Degas, as well. It's going to be a discussion of their artwork and their styles."

"_That sounds fun. I'll definitely be there,_" Kannaya said. Clayman smiled. "Good," she said, "I'll see you Saturday, then."

"_Yeah. Bye, Saeka,_"

"Goodbye, Kanna," she said, hanging up. She went back inside and nodded. "A success," she announced.

"All right!" Ginji exclaimed. He turned to give Ban a high five, which Ban returned somewhat lamely. "Everything's going to plan! I sure hope this turns out well,"

"We can only hope, Gin," Hevn said, "Because we can't be here for it."

"Huh?"

"Think about it, you numbskull, if we're here, whichever of them gets here first will immediately realize this is a setup and leave," Ban said. Ginji frowned, chewing on his nails. "Oh," he said, "I didn't think of that."

"So," Hevn said, "We'll just have to wait and hope things turn out well. It's Thursday, now, so we have a little time. Just in case this doesn't work, why don't we start thinking up plan B?"

"Actually," Clayman interjected, "It should be fine. I see no reason why this plan won't succeed."

"I agree," Paul said. "Both of them believed what the two of you said and both of them agreed to come here at the precise date. Assuming that neither of them will walk out once they realize what's really going on here, it seems like this is going to work."

"And if they do walk out, there's nothing we can do about it," Ban said. Sitting on the stool beside him, Sanae sighed sadly. Ban glanced from her to Clayman curiously. "Hey, did you ever get a hold of Himiko?"

"I did; she wants to come here to find out the results of our little scheme afterward."

"Okay, then," Ban said, "And we also promised to let that McCarthy guy know as well. Hevn, you want to do the honors?"

"Sure. It's a good thing I got his number from Himiko." Hevn said, taking her phone out again. But after dialing and waiting for several minutes, she sighed and hung up. "I couldn't get through. He must be busy," she said.

"It's okay," Ginji said. "We'll try again later. In the meantime, why don't we all celebrate with sandwiches on Paul!?"

"Yeah, not gonna happen until you pay your tab," Paul said. Ginji's face fell and his plunked his down on the counter with a sigh.


	19. Turn Back The Years

A/N: Here's the big chapter!! Da-da-da-DA!! I'm waaaay too hyper right now, lol.

Turn Back The Years

Ban and Ginji both hunkered down below the dashboard of the Miss Ladybug, watching the doors of the restaurant. No one was currently in there. Paul and Natsumi had gone shopping and wouldn't be back for several hours, I.E, they wouldn't be back until Hevn called them. The whole place was completely empty. Ban sighed irritably.

"Hey, Ginji, I thought we were just going to wait and hope things went well."

"Come on, Ban, it's only until I see just one of them go in there. Then we can leave. I don't care who it is, but I just need to make sure that at least one of them believed Hevn."

"You're an idiot, Ginji, and my neck is killing me," Ban snapped, twisting into a more comfortable position. "I'm guessing we can't sit up, huh?"

"Nope," Ginji said, grinning. Then, he started snickering madly. Ban raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"Well, normally you're the one to come up with brilliant plans so it's a little weird this time around."

Ban smacked him upside the head. "Shut up. Just keep an eye on the door," he grumbled.

"Right,"

After awhile, Ban's eyes widened and he nudged Ginji. "Hey, Ginji, look!" he whispered. Ginji sat up blearily after having dozed off. He gasped. "Ban, it's him!"

Akabane had appeared on the other side of the street and just crossed. He pushed back his sleeve and checked his watch. Then he nodded to himself and went inside. Ginji punched the air triumphantly. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "Okay, we can go, now," he said.

"Just like that?"

"Yeah. At least one of them made it, which means that the other is coming too. I have a pretty good feeling about this."

Ban smirked and shook his head, sitting back and putting Miss. Ladybug into gear. "You are one whacked out individual, Ginji," he said. "All right. We'll call Hevn and let her know that Akabane's here."

"Right!" Ginji said with a grin.

//ooo//

Kannaya finished tying her long hair into a loose braid and examined her reflection in the mirror. She nodded once and turned to Yuki, sitting on the sofa behind her. "Okay, how do I look, Yuki?" she asked.

_Mrrr_

"Oh, what do you know? Miki? Hm. I wonder where Miki went. Oh well. Yuki, I'm going out, now. You guys look after the house, okay?"

She turned and scratched Yuki behind the ears. He purred loudly and leaned his head into her hand. She smiled. "That's right, it's almost our anniversary," she said. "The day I found you two scrounging about in the dumpster. I still wonder who would throw away such beautiful cats like you two. But, more luck for me! I get you two all to myself, huh?"

Yuki batted playfully at her hand and she laughed. "Not right now, Yuki. I have to get moving. Bye, now!"

She left the building, still looking forward to the conference. She'd chosen a pair of black dress pants and a white blouse with a cloth flower attachment in the upper left corner. She figured she looked rather nice.

Clayman had asked her to meet her at the restaurant around noon. She looked at her phone; it was a about twenty past noon, now.

"Plenty of time," she said. She got on the bus, seeing how she lived quite a distance from the restaurant. She wondered if she'd see Ginji and Hevn there. She hoped not, not after how she'd treated them a few weeks ago. She hadn't meant to be cruel, but she just couldn't stand being forced to remember what happened.

The bus dropped her off down the street from the Honky Tonk restaurant. She made her way up the street, looking forward to the conference and wondering what the discussions would be covered on as far as which paintings would be chosen.

She reached the building and opened the door. To her surprise, the inside of the restaurant was entirely empty. Puzzled, she made her way inside and shut the door. "Hello? Paul? Natsumi?"

Walking over to the counter, she peered around the inside of the restaurant. "Ban? Ginji? Saeka? Hm, that' a little odd. Saeka? Are you here? If this is a joke, guys, it's hardly funny. Is anyone here?" she called.

"Yes, if you don't mind me," a voice said in the back. Kannaya froze up, her heart beginning to pound wildly. She heard footsteps coming out from the back near the storage areas. She didn't turn around. The footsteps stopped behind her, several feet away.

"It would seem that the regular attendees here have upped and vanished on us," Akabane said, staring at the floor. Kannaya didn't reply at first.

"What are you doing here, Kuroudo?" she asked quietly after a few minutes.

"I was called here by Ms. Hevn to meet a new client or clients. How about you?"

"I was called here by Saeka to attend an art conference a few hours away." Kannaya answered.

"I see. I'm beginning to detect a pattern here," Akabane said.

"Yeah. I guess Ginji wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to help. I tried to tell him it's too late."

"Why, if I may ask?" Akabane said, glancing up at her. She remained rooted in place, facing the door. "Because it's been too long, that's why. I'm sure you agree with me."

Akabane shifted on his feet and watched her carefully. "On the contrary, I disagree with you," he said. She turned slightly at this. Right then was the first time they'd met face to face since the incident at the shrine well over two months ago.

"You disagree?"

"Yes, quite strongly, I might add. I have to say, Ginji is quite persistent. It seems he tracked both of us down and got us to tell our little secrets."

Kannaya just hummed. "So this was a futile setup." she muttered.

Akabane just blinked. He glanced toward the back of the store for no apparent reason and then turned back to her. "Kanna," he said finally, "Would you care to have a drink with me?"

She turned to face him, thinking. She looked down briefly, as though considering it, and then looked back up.

"Sure." she said.

Kannaya figured that Paul wouldn't mind if she used the kitchen to brew some tea. She did this without speaking to Akabane, who left her alone and went to sit at one of the booths, thinking. He wondered exactly how many people were involved in this clever little setup besides Ginji and Hevn. He chuckled to himself when he realized that he'd been tricked quite bluntly.

Kannaya brought the kettle and cups over and sat down across from him, somewhat reluctantly. Without looking at him, she poured some tea for both of them and took her own cup, staring into it.

"How has life been treating you, Kanna?" he asked nonchalantly. Kannaya shrugged.

"The same. I've started my own assassination service. I keep busy." she murmured.

"I see."

"What about you?" she asked, forcing herself to converse. It was evident in her voice.

"I work as a transporter." he answered. "It pays well and I rarely complain about boredom."

Kannaya nodded. "Hm. Yeah, you never could sit still for more than twenty minutes, huh? Once you started fidgeting, it was all over." she said quietly.

"Whereas you can go for hours doing nothing and not become bored," he countered. "I must confess, I was always rather envious of that talent. I suppose that this ability of yours gives you quite the edge as an assassin."

"You talk differently, now." Kannaya said.

"What?"

"You never talked like this before, at least not around me. It's like you're treating me like a client or one of your patients, not as your former fiancee,"

Akabane's eyes narrowed and he glanced to the side. "My apologies; I certainly don't intend to, Kanna," he said quietly. A quick glance showed that she still wore that white ribbon.

Kannaya just shook her head. "I don't know what Ginji was thinking. This isn't going to work so why don't we just go our separate ways and never speak of this again?" she suggested, getting to her feet. But as she headed for the door, he spoke up suddenly.

"Please, wait," he said quietly. Kannaya stopped and turned back. He'd remained where he was and she couldn't see his face beneath his hat, but something about the way he held himself all of a sudden was different. He suddenly seemed...worn out.

"If you'll allow me to, I'd like to explain my actions to you, Kanna," he muttered. He stood up and slowly made his way over. Kannaya didn't move. She just watched him carefully. He paused in front of her, his hat tipped down slightly, shadowing his face.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm speaking of the last night we saw each other five years ago," he said. Kanna's eyes widened. Memories of that night flooded back in a frenzy, ending with her walking along the street, her face and shoulder soaked with blood from her injuries.

To her surprise, he cautiously reached his hand up, paused and then removed the glove her wore. He gently placed his hand along her forehead, brushing her hair back to reveal the scar she still carried from where that door had struck. Now, he lifted his head a little bit. Kannaya could see his eyes. She was stunned to see how pained they appeared at the sight of that scar.

"I assume you carry a similar one along your shoulder?" he muttered.

"Yes, I do," she said stiffly. He bristled slightly at her words and sighed, pulling his hand back. "I apologize, Kanna," he said, "I have no right to touch you. Not after what I did to you."

They fell silent. Kanna glanced down at his hand where a strange, star-shaped scar showed.

"Well?" she asked. He looked up, curious. "Hm?"

"Aren't you going to explain?" she said quietly, "I'd like to hear it. Maybe now, you'll tell me what happened to you."

They sat down at the counter, Kannaya watching him expectantly.

"I made a contract with a demon," he told her after a few minutes, "To save my life on the battlefield."

Kannaya's eyes widened and then narrowed in skepticism. "A demon?" she said. He nodded. "I don't expect you to believe me, Kanna. I didn't expect Ginji to believe me, either. I failed to save the life of a young boy, though I did my absolute best. I lost all hope after this. Soon after, our small base was attacked and I was taken prisoner."

Kannaya's eyes went wide as she drew a short breath in shock. He continued.

"I believe I was knocked unconscious, though I don't completely remember. I heard a voice, saying that I could be saved if I made a deal. I had to recall one reason to live and I would be saved...I chose you, Kanna," he said so quietly that she could barely hear him. "I chose you as my reason and the demon, calling himself Jackal, entered my body. He has been a part of me ever since then. We are now so intertwined with one another's existence, that we can no longer tell ourselves apart. Despite how he saved my life, I was wary of him and with good reason. Once I returned, I worried that he would attempt to injure you or worse, take your life. When I drove you away, I spoke with you, trying to warn you, but...," he chuckled dryly, bitterly, "It seems I failed. I don't recall wounding you. I remember a quick black veil surrounding my vision for just a moment and then being able to see once again, only to see you lying on the floor, covered in blood. Another black out and then, I see the door close and you're gone."

He glanced at her once. "Once I'd regained myself, I went searching for you," he said, "I scoured the city, but you were nowhere to be found. I went to your studio, but it had been destroyed. You simply vanished, Kanna.

"I suppose dealing with both your absence and the presence of the demon became a bit too much. I couldn't handle my job anymore, so I resigned. I became a transporter, allowing Jackal more and more freedom until finally, we seem to have merged into a single, ruthless being."

He pushed his glove around on the counter, wondering if she'd believe all of this. To this day, it was so crazy, even he didn't believe it on occasion. But when he looked back at her, his breath hitched in his throat in surprise. She was crying softly.

"Is that all true?" she muttered.

"It is, Kanna. But what's wrong?" he asked.

"Then this is...this is all my fault," she said, shaking her head. He frowned in confusion.

"How is it your fault, Kanna?"

"I should have stayed there! In the very least, I should have gone back after you'd calmed down! I shouldn't have abandoned you like that!" she exclaimed. "If that's all true, then it's my fault you ended up like this! You didn't desert me; you were only trying to protect me! I left you to deal with this all by yourself."

She got up and turned away, folding her arms and trying to calm down. Akabane sighed and got to his feet as well, watching her carefully. "Kanna, if you'd stayed, I probably would have inadvertently killed you. I had no control over the demon, then. There was nothing you could have done to help me."

"No, no, that's where you're wrong, Kuroudo, I could have done _something_! Anything but just leave you like that!" she murmured. "This is all my fault."

She gasped sharply when he suddenly pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Kanna," he said, "None of this is your doing,"

He released her and actually smiled. Kanna just blinked. "How can you be so...." she trailed off.

"Kanna, it's very strange, but I now understand something," he said ponderously. Kanna glanced at him curiously. "What?"

"Something a close friend of mine said a long time ago. He said that being human means stealing precious things and having precious things stolen from you in return; that that's the kind of desperate, hopeless creatures human beings are. If what gets taken is money or things, you may get it back. But if it's something else, such as warmth or humanity, then the only thing that can fill the cavern in your heart is another human being who holds the same emptiness."

He tipped his hat back and glanced at her. "I believe I understand him, now. I understood his meaning, then, but not the action. I'd have to say it's rather different, now."

Kannaya still appeared depressed. "But, it's been so long," she said quietly. Akabane shrugged. "That doesn't change a thing, Kanna," he said. "What do you think?"

Kannaya sighed and looked up at him wearily. "I think I'm quite certain that I still love you more than anything," she said.

This time, he brought his hand up to brush it gently against her face. To his surprise, she placed her hand over his and held it there.

"I missed you, you know," she mumbled.

"And I, you. I'll have you know that I never stopped thinking about you. Would you accept my fondest apologies, Kanna?" he asked sincerely.

Kanna looked up at him, a strange mixture of relief and bitter sorrow etched into her face.

"Why should I? I'm the one who should be apologizing, Kuroudo. Even if there was nothing I could do, I could have at least given you another chance. I took every available opportunity to avoid you. Can _you_ forgive _me_?"

He sighed and shook his head. "Kanna, we both know where this is going to end up," he said teasingly. "I instead, have a proposal for you. What do you say to burying the past and moving forward rather than continually looking back?"

Kanna chuckled and nodded. "I see what you mean," she said. "All right, then. Sure, it's five years late, but what do you say we go back to the beginning?"

He smiled and gently pulled her close. She still smelled like the suspended rain before a storm. It was still as comforting as ever.

"I'd love to," he said cheerfully.


	20. Unexpected Retribution

Unexpected Retribution

Ginji sighed as he struggled to stay awake, leaning on the counter and texting back and forth with MakubeX. He frowned. "Jeez, this kid's lingo is getting harder and harder to understand. Add that to the fact that he's just discovered emoticons." he grumbled.

"What's that mean?" Ban asked. Ginji held up the most recent message and Ban read through it.

" ' I rly lv the nu 4Gig CPU with the 40 in plsm scrn u snt me. Bsy DL the new info, ASAP, after all, GMTA. G2G, c u...Huh? What's all that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed at the dozens and dozens of little random symbols written all over the screen and descending past the viewable point. Ginji snickered as he pulled the phone back. "I don't know if you can tell, but he's _really_ having fun with emoticons," he said. Ban sighed. "Might as well be hieroglyphics." he muttered. Ginji shrugged.

"Well, up until Sakura bought him a cell phone for his, um, I guess you could call it his birthday, MakubeX had never done anything but program computers, so Kazuki had to go in and show him how to use a cell phone and send messages back and forth. Now, he's been at it nonstop. But I'm happy for the kid, so I don't mind."

" By the way," another voice beside Ban said. They turned. Himiko glanced up at them. "I wonder how our little matchmaking plan went? I heard it's been a couple of weeks, now."

"I haven't heard anything," Ginji said. "I'm a little worried. I sure hope they didn't just give up. We spent two whole months just figuring out what happened."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Ban said. "We'll know soon enough. Hey, does anyone know where Hevn is by any chance? She hasn't come by since our little planning bit a few weeks ago."

"I heard she's been up to her eyeballs in work," Himiko said.

Ginji smiled. For a few weeks now, Ban and Himiko had been on pretty even terms. They still bickered occasionally...okay, maybe incessantly, but they got along much better than they had when they'd first met again after so long. She'd been hanging around the Honky Tonk more often, mostly waiting for Hevn to bring her transport work. But since Akabane had been missing in action for so long, now, she'd been taking it easy on her workload.

"I have to admit, Akabane does make the trips more interesting, even if he goes about it rather morbidly," she'd explained, "Believe it or not, when he _does_ feel like talking, he's a pretty good conversationalist."

Ginji couldn't argue with her there. Akabane still freaked him out, but by this point, he was as good as used to him. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than practically fainting every time he appeared.

Now, however, everyone wanted to know what had happened. Fortunately, whoever the god was controlling their world had a weird sense of timing and an even weirder sense of going about his crazy schemes. At that moment, the bells on the door jingled, signaling the approach of a customer...of sorts.

"Welco-Ah! Ms. Kanna! Hey!" Natsumi exclaimed, hurrying around the counter and pulling the elder woman into a hug. Kannaya laughed. "Hey, Natsumi, it's been a while. How are you?"

"Just great!" Natsumi said cheerfully. "I'm about to start my senior year of high school and I'm so stoked! Ban said he'd help me study!"

"That's wonderful, Natsumi," Kannaya said as Ban and Ginji turned to see her.

"Hey, there Kanna, how— _yagh!_" Ginji shrieked when he saw who was standing behind Kannaya. Akabane tipped his hat back and smiled. "Good afternoon, my dear friend," he said cheerfully. "How are you faring?"

"I-I was j-just fine, Mr. Akabane," Ginji choked as he cowered behind Ban. Kannaya chuckled and stepped forward, smiling at Ginji and Ban. "We haven't been back here in a while," she said, "So we thought we'd drop by."

"Wait a second, 'we'?" Ban exclaimed. Ginji blinked and jumped away from Ban, watching Kannaya expectantly. "So, does that mean...?" he said, trailing off. Kannaya nodded and lightly conked him on the head. "Yes, Ginji, your efforts were successful. We're giving it another chance," she announced, glancing back at Akabane who nodded confirmation.

"R-Really?" Ginji stammered.

"Yes," Akabane said, "We certainly owe a great deal of gratitude to you, my dear electric friend. I don't suppose anything would have changed had you not gotten involved."

"I didn't do that much," Ginji said, "I had a lot of help."

"Ginji, quit being so modest," Kannaya said. "He's serious and so am I. In fact, we came to give you a token of how grateful we are."

Ginji blinked and Paul, Natsumi, Himiko and Ban all watched with interest as Akabane stepped forward, a plain white envelope in hand. This, he handed to Ginji, who took it rather hesitantly.

"What is it?" Ginji asked. Kannaya glanced at Akabane and smiled before turning back to Ginji. "Well, we talked it over last night and we finally agreed that you deserve this. Go ahead and open it."

Ginji carefully undid the seal on the envelope and took out a piece of paper. He scanned through it, his eyes widening further with each line. "Wha-wha? T-T-Ten million yen!?" he exclaimed in shock. Ban leapt to his feet and read over Ginji's shoulder. "No way! What's this for?" he said, bewildered. Akabane chuckled, placing his hand on Kannaya's shoulder. "Simple. You performed your job to the best of your ability and succeeded with flying colors. That right there is your due payment."

"Five from each of us, seeing there were two parties involved," Kannaya said.

"But this was just a personal mission," Ginji said, "I can't accept this."

"You don't understand, do you, my dear Ginji?" Akabane said with a sigh. "Without your interference, none of this could have been possible."

"You 'got back' something we both had taken from us, but were just too stubborn to retrieve on our own," Kannaya said, smiling. "Oh, and as an added bonus and precaution, I've done you boys a little favor,"

"Favor?" Ban said suspiciously. Kannaya nodded. "Yes. To ease your financial strains and those of Paul's as well, I've taken the liberty of setting up a bank account for the two of you."

Himiko went into hysterics and Natsumi giggled as she finished drying dishes. Paul snickered behind his newspaper. Ban and Ginji just stared blankly.

"Huh?" Ban said.

"Come on, don't think I don't know about the forty-two thousand yen debt you still owe Paul. Think of it this way, at least now you'll be assured a meal each day. I'll take one of you down later to get the final paperwork signed,"

Paul sighed, still laughing. "Okay, okay, everyone, name your poison, it's on me." he announced. Ban and Ginji looked at each other and sighed. Ginji turned to Kannaya and Akabane. He beamed and dashed over, grinning. "Aw, group hug!" he declared, grabbing both of them into a giant embrace and laughing. "I knew you two would figure it out! I'm so proud of you both!"

"I suppose this means we're friends now, Ginji?" Akabane asked. Ginji suddenly paled and quickly skipped backwards, chattering mumbled nonsense to himself as he sank to the floor in a dead faint. They both watched him for a few seconds and then glanced at each other. Ban chuckled. "Don't worry, he always does that. Hey, Akabane!"

"Yes?"

"Don't get the wrong idea; we're still enemies. However today, we make an exception. For today only, for however long you remain in this building, you're a friend. How does that sound?"

Akabane smiled and nodded. "Thank you very much, Ban Midou," he said. "Ginji? How does that sound to you?" he said down to the Ginji, still lying on the floor. Ginji smiled weakly. "Yeah, that sounds just fine, Mr. Akabane," he muttered. "Auuuu...."

Paul set out drinks for everyone and true to Ban's word, Akabane seemed welcomed for once.

"So," Himiko asked Kannaya, "What's going to happen to the two of you?"

"We've decided to start over where we left off," she said. She held up her left hand, revealing the silver ring she wore. Himiko squealed and yanked Kannaya into a tight hug. Natsumi hurried over and joined in, congratulating her. Kannaya laughed and pulled away. "I know it's exciting, but there's still a lot of things to decide," she said, "For example, we're still arguing over Miki and Yuki."

"Why?" Natsumi asked.

"Well, he's not really a cat person. But it doesn't matter, because without them, I wouldn't be as I am now. You all know the story. So, he's just going to have to get used to it,"

"I told her I'd try," Akabane said. Kannaya smiled, "See, I'm going to sell the condo I'm living in now. We're planning on moving back up to Hokkaido, soon."

"What about your studio?" Himiko asked. Kannaya shrugged. "Third time's the charm? I'll just have to build it back up-yet again."

"How about your assassination service?" Ginji asked. "Isn't that run from Shinjuku?"

"That's another thing. I'm quitting my job as an assassin and become a transporter so we can work together, so Himiko, it looks like we'll be seeing each other again sometime soon."

"You're going to become a transporter?" Ginji exclaimed. Kannaya nodded. "Yes. I'm afraid that will probably mean I'll be your enemy during work, Ginji. No hard feelings?"

"Actually," Ginji said hopefully, "Won't this mean you can stop Akabane from going nuts on a job?"

Kannaya gave him a weird look and smiled apologetically. Akabane pulled his hat down over his eyes.

"Well," Kannaya said, "Oh, come on, Ginji, you should know better."

Ginji's face fell. "Huh?" he exclaimed.

"He told you the story. Besides, he enjoys fighting. I can't stop him, you know. I can limit the killings, probably," she said, glancing meaningfully in his direction. He just looked away. She turned back. "I can probably stop him from killing bystanders at the most. But I'm afraid that's it, Ginji."

Ginji sighed and she patted his shoulder. "However, I'll do absolutely nothing to stop him from attacking you two."

"What!?" Ginji yelled in alarm. She smiled. "You're a rare challenge, Ginji. Just stay alive, okay?"

Ginji stared at her like she was insane. "Ms. Kannaya, you can't be serious!" he exclaimed. Akabane made his way over.

"She's right, my dear Ginji. You are one of the few people I've ever fought who can truly come close to testing me. A good fight with you is something I look forward to immensely."

Ginji whimpered and sank to the floor. "Yeah, that's great Mr, Akabane; I'm glad you're having fun. Auuuu...." he moaned.

"Oh!" Himiko cried, "That reminds me! Paul, could you please bring her out? I totally forgot she was hiding here."

Paul swallowed and scratched the back of his head. "Oh, boy, I forgot, too. She's going to be ticked."

"What's going on?" Kannaya asked. Paul smirked bemusedly. "We've got a special little surprise. Hey, come on out, now!" he called into the back storage room. The door slammed open and someone sighed irritably.

"It's about time."

Akabane's eyes widened. "You can't be serious," he said as they watched Sanae wander out into the front. When she saw Kannaya and Akabane, she gasped sharply, her eyes lighting up.

"Big brother!" she screamed, rushing over. Akabane reacted instinctively and ducked to the side, causing her to run past him and smack straight into the door. Kannaya covered her mouth in shock. "Sanae! Are you okay?" she inquired. She glared at Akabane. "That was mean."

He shrugged. "It was a conditioned response," he said. Sanae picked herself off the wall and glowered at him. "She's right; that was mean! That was supposed to be a touching reunion and you went and blew it! I'll bet I'm the only person who's ever run into a wall trying to hug a friend she hasn't seen in years!"

"Well then, I congratulate you on being the first," Akabane said, smiling. Sanae's face went bright red. "I'm _not_ proud of that!"

Kannaya made her way over. "Sanae, how are you?" she asked. Sanae glanced from her to Akabane and then back again. Then, without warning, she launched herself at Kannaya, wrapping her arms around her neck. "Yay! Big sister! It's been forever! How are you?" she cried.

"Sanae, you don't even know me that well!" Kannaya exclaimed, detaching her from her neck. Sanae shrugged. "Well, he won't let me hug him, so you'll have to do." she declared happily. "I haven't seen you in forever, so I'm just excited, that's all."

"Oh, well if that's all," Kannaya said sarcastically.

The rest of the afternoon was spent mainly laughing over Ginji's determination to solve the mystery over the past two months. Kannaya teased him constantly over how brave he was to accompany her to an assassination in a crowded theater. But at the same time, she thanked him both for that and for everything he'd done.

By the time evening had fallen, Ban announced that Akabane's mere presence was growing tiresome. Now while this got a well-rounded smack from Natsumi with a wet dishrag, Kannaya laughed and agreed that it was getting time to go.

"So I guess we'll be seeing you guys on the next conflicting job, huh?" Ginji said as they stood outside the restaurant. Akabane tipped his hat and smiled.

"I wholeheartedly agree, my dear electric friend," he said, "And I look forward to seeing how much more powerful you've become by then,"

Ginji visibly cringed and Kannaya laughed.

"Yeah. And perhaps I'll find a nice challenge in Ban, here," she said. Ban scowled and snorted, "Yeah, don't bet on it," he grumbled. He smirked suddenly. "You two take care, now," he said.

Kannaya nodded and waved as they started off down the other side of the street. "See you guys around," she called.

Ginji and Ban watched them go. They'd started talking about something as they left.

"You know, I feel pretty good about this," Ginji said, grinning. "I mean sure, it probably earned us a whole new enemy, but at least it was a good deed. Plus, we got an awesome pay out of it!"

"I thought you didn't want to accept it because it was a mission of mercy," Ban said wryly. Ginji shrugged, "Hey, they insisted. Plus, you're the one who's always going on about making a buck, Ban," Ginji joked. Ban shrugged this time, "I guess so. Well then, how about we head back inside and get something to eat. I'm starving,"

Ginji watched him go back into the restaurant, waiting outside for a little while longer. He just had a lot on his mind and the sunset glowing over the ominous Limitless Fortress in the distance was actually rather pretty. Of course, with Ban on his team, moments like were few and far between.

"Ginji, get your butt in here!"

"Coming!" Ginji called. He hurried back inside. After all, they could afford to eat now and who was he to waste this opportunity?

Besides, tomorrow was a whole new day.

A/N: It's done!! It's finally done!! I had to finish this one before publishing my new one, called A Simple Memory. It's almost completely written, with just a few tweaks needed here and there, but I'm so in love with it! I needed to finish this one first, though. But now that it's finally done, I can start again!! Yay!! I hope you enjoyed it.


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